Standing stock and community structure of photosynthetic picoplankton in the northern South China Sea

1 Introduction Forthe lastm ore than 20 a,ow ing to the develop-m ent of observation and experim ent technologies form arine m icroorganism s,m arine biologistshave discov-ered m any m icroorganism s w hich are difficult to beobserved by com m on m icroscope before. T hus, thecognition to the m arine phytoplankton com m unitiesand the structure of food chains has achieved im por-tantprogress.E specially,w ith the developm entand ap-plication of epifluorescence m icroscopy and flow cy-tom etry…     

Microfossils, carbonate lysocline and compensation depth in surface sediments of the northeastern South China Sea

INTRODUCTIONTwoimportantinterfacespunctuatingtheabyssalverticaltrans sectionarecarbonatelyso clineandcarbonatecompensationdepth (CCD) .Thecarbonatelysoclineislabeledbyabruptincrementofcarbonatedissolutiononcalcitemicrofossilssuchasplanktonicforaminifertests(Berger,1 96 8) ,ordecreasingapparentlyinpercentageofthecarbonateproportion (Panetal ,1 988) .ThoughtherearemanyachievementsonthecarbonatecycleandCCDresearches(Wangetal ,1 995;Rottman ,1 979;Thunelletal ,1 992 ;Zhengetal ,1 993;Mia…     

Distribution and ecological aspects of the Siphonophora in the middle of South China Sea

This paper reports species composition, horizontal distribution and seasonal variation of total individual and dominant species of the Siphonophora and their relationship to the environmental factors. Materials from the water layers within 0～200 m were collected during the periods of September, 1983, April and May, July and August, and December, 1984 in the study region (12°-19°30′N, 111°-118°E, Fig. 1).     

Comparison among four kinds of data of sea surface wind stress in the South China Sea

By using remote sensing (ERS) data, FSU data, COADS data and Hellerman & Rosen-stein objective analysis data to analyze the sea surface wind stress in the South China Sea, it is found that the remote sensing data have higher resolution and more reasonable values. Therefore we suggest that remote sensing data be chosen in the study of climatological features of sea surface wind stress and its seasonal variability in the South China Sea, especially in the study of small and middle scale eddies.     

Calcareous nannoplankton in the surface sediments of the East China Sea and its environmental implications

Calcareous nannoplankton flora in the surface sediments of the East China Sea has been investigated many times based on isolated sample collections since 1980. In the present study, 73 surface sediment samples recovered from the East China Sea, extending from the estuaries to the Okinawa Trough (about 10 -2000 m in depth of water), were chosen to investigate the floral distributional pattern and to discuss in greater detail the controlling factors. Thirty-nine species were identified under polarized microscope and SEM. In general, nannoplankton abundance and diversity increase progressively with the increase of depth. In estuaries and the inner shelf nannoplankton are extremely rare. The 50 m isobath is a sharp boundary for the development of calcareous nannoplankton. Another low floral concentration is encountered at the edge of the outer shelf where Pleistocene relict sediments outcrop. The nannoflora displays a scattered distributional pattern in the Okinawa Trough. Nannoplankton of larger sizes is m     

The distribution characteristics of clay minerals in the northern South China Sea

The clay minearals are composed of illite, chlorite, kaolinite, montmorillonite and mixed-layer minerals in the submarine sediments of the northern South China Sea. Three types of clay mineral zone can be recognized on the basis of the distributive regularity of clay minerals, submarine relief, hydrodynamic conditions and depositional characteristics in this region. Apart from the northern mainland source, kaolinites carried from the Philippines volcanic arc in the east and Malaysia in the south are also assumed to be one of the sources of the clay minerals in the deep sea. The increase of chlorites to the abyssal direction in the west of 116° E might be associated with the residual chlorites carried from the ancient Zhujiang River during the glacial period and the conversion of kaolinite into chlorite submarine volcanoes appear to be one of the sources of the increment of montmorillonite and chlorite around the Huangyan Island. From the distribution pattern of clay minerals in the whole area, it is kn     

Ecological study on Ostracoda in the central South China Sea

ＥｃｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｓｔｕｄｙｏｎＯｓｔｒａｃｏｄａｉｎｔｈｅｃｅｎｔｒａｌＳｏｕｔｈＣｈｉｎａＳｅａ￥ＣｈｅｎＲｕｉｘｉａｎｇａｎｄＬｉｎＪｉｎｈｏｎｇ（ＴｈｉｒｄＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＯｃｅａｎｏｇｒａｐｌｙ，ＳｔａｔｅＯｃｅａｎｉｃＡｄｍｉｎｉ...     

On the features of the SST annual cycle and surface heat budget in the South China Sea

The annual cycle in the ocean and atmosPhere system 15 the important signal of the climatic variabilities.Observed studies had indicated that the seasonal feature of the climatic system which 15 of an annual period 15 due to the seasonal variation of the solar radiation.Funher researches has shown that the formation and maintenance of the annual cycle of the thermal condition(situation)in the upper oceans are the results of both dynamical and thermal processes which both are involved in air-sea interaction.Since researches on the large-scale air-sea interaction were Propoed,sea surface temperature(SST)has always been the primary object to observe,study and predict by the scientists.     

Mineral provinces and material provenance of the surficial sediments near the Zhongsha Islands in the South China Sea

1 IntroductionThe South China Sea is one of the northwesternPacific marginal basins, which is located atthe junc-tion region among Euro-Asia plate, Pacific plate andIndia plate. Owing to its unique geological charac-teristics, the South China Sea has beco…     

Ecological characteristics of Ostracoda in the South Huanghai Sea and East China Sea

ＥｃｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｓｔｉｃｓｏｆＯｓｔｒａｃｏｄａｉｎｔｈｅＳｏｕｔｈＨｕａｎｇｈａｉＳｅａａｎｄＥａｓｔＣｈｉｎａＳｅａ￥ＣｈｅｎＲｕｉｘｉａｎｇａｎｄＬｉｎＪｉｎｇｈｏｎｇ（ＴｈｉｒｄＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＯｃｅａｎｏｇｒａ...     

Notes On the features of the SST annual cycle and surface heat budget in the South China Sea

ＮｏｔｅｓＯｎｔｈｅｆｅａｔｕｒｅｓｏｆｔｈｅＳＳＴａｎｎｕａｌｃｙｃｌｅａｎｄｓｕｒｆａｃｅｈｅａｔｂｕｄｇｅｔｉｎｔｈｅＳｏｕｔｈＣｈｉｎａＳｅａＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＴｈｅａｎｎｕａｌｃｙｃｌｅｉｎｔｈｅｏｃｅａｎａｎｄａｔｍｏｓｐｈｅｒｅｓ...     

Experience on offshore cathodic protection retrofitting in the northern South China Sea

Platforms Ⅰ and Ⅱ are steel structures located in offshore areas southeast of the Zhujiang(Pearl) River Delta, the northern South China Sea, in about 110 m water depth. The jackets, with aluminum sacrificial anodes for cathodic protection (CP) of the immersed zone, were launched in March 1995. In May 1996 a CP survey showed that, after almost one year of service, a low polarization level had been achieved and some extended unprotected zones existed, mainly in the deepest part of the Platform Ⅱ. Further to this, a joint activity was decided in order to assess the need of a possible retrofitting of the CP systems. The results of the activity carried out are dealt with, including technical and economical comparisons amongst several retrofitting options, both with sacrificial anodes and with impressed current systems. The adopted solution is illustrated and data are reported on the level of protection presently achieved.     

Trends of sea surface temperature and sea surface temperature fronts in the South China Sea during 2003–2017

The trends of the sea surface temperature(SST) and SST fronts in the South China Sea(SCS) are analyzed during2003–2017 using high-resolution satellite data. The linear trend of the basin averaged SST is 0.31°C per decade,with the strongest warming identified in southeastern Vietnam. Although the rate of warming is comparable in summer and winter for the entire basin, the corresponding spatial patterns of the linear trend are substantially different between them. The SST trend to the west of the Luzon Strait is characterized by rapid warming in summer, exceeding approximately 0.6°C per decade, but the trend is insignificant in winter. The strongest warming trend occurs in the southeast of Vietnam in winter, with much less pronounced warming in summer. A positive trend of SST fronts is identified for the coast of China and is associated with increasing wind stress. The increasing trend of SST fronts is also found in the east of Vietnam. Large-scale circulation, such as El Ni?o, can influence the trends of the SST and SST fronts. A significant correlation is found between the SST anomaly and Ni?o3.4 index, and the ENSO signal leads by eight months. The basin averaged SST linear trends increase after the El Ni?o event(2009–2010), which is, at least, due to the rapid warming rate causing by the enhanced northeasterly wind. Peaks of positive anomalous SST and negatively anomalous SST fronts are found to co-occur with the strong El Ni?o events.     

Geochemical evolution of Oligocene–Middle Miocene sediments in the deep-water area of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea

The deep-water area of the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea has received much scientific attention since the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 184 in 1999 due to its potential economic prospects and distinct tectono-sedimentary evolutionary processes. In this study, we present the composition of major and trace elements from two newly sampled deep-water boreholes (BY6 and LW3) in the Baiyun Sag of the southern Pearl River Mouth Basin. The geochemical evolution in the Oligocene–Middle Miocene, as well as potential controlling factors, are investigated based on a comparative study with previous data from ODP site 1148 and borehole PY33. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and A–CN–K plot reveal that the observed weathering trends are not compatible for the four discussed boreholes. Sedimentary sorting is primarily observed in borehole PY33, where data trend away from the A apex to the feldspar join in the A–CN–K plot and show a spread of Al₂O₃/SiO₂ and Nb/Zr ratios. Compared to chemical weathering and hydrodynamic sorting, provenance has a greater impact on sediment composition of the deep-water area. From the north, the Pearl River was the primary sediment supply. However, a positive Eu anomaly and the provenance discrimination diagrams (i.e., La/Th versus Th/Yb and Zr/Co versus Th/Co) reveal the mafic nature of borehole BY6 sediments in the Zhuhai–Lower Zhujiang (32.0–18.5 Ma) and Upper Hanjiang (13.8–10.5 Ma) formations. These compositions are unusual and differ from the well-defined felsic sources in the majority of the Baiyun Sag; these discrepancies are likely related to multistage magmatism. The sediments at site 1148 are characterized by slightly enriched heavy rare earth elements and relatively high Zr/Co ratios, which could possibly be caused by zircon enrichment from local sources.     

A restudy of ostracode assemblages in the surface sediments of the Huanghai Sea

ＡｒｅｓｔｕｄｙｏｆｏｓｔｒａｃｏｄｅａｓｓｅｍｂｌａｇｅｓｉｎｔｈｅｓｕｒｆａｃｅｓｅｄｉｍｅｎｔｓｏｆｔｈｅＨｕａｎｇｈａｉＳｅａ￥ＺｈｏｕＢａｏｃｈｕｎ；ＺｈａｏＱｕａｎｈｏｎｇ；ＨｕａｎｇＷｅｉａｎｄＧａｏＪｉａｎｘｉ（Ｄｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏ...     

Plio–Quaternary sedimentation processes and neotectonics of the northern continental margin of the South China Sea

Analyses of over 6600 km of reflection seismic profiles on the northern continental margin of the South China Sea permit the recognition of four Quaternary high-frequency type 1 sequences of the 4th order, deposited during the past ca. 690 kyr. At the present-day shelf edge, only lowstand systems tracts characterised by a prograding clinoformal internal reflection pattern are preserved. The prograding complexes can be considered as regressive units accumulated during relative sea-level falls. They exhibit internal discontinuities which might point to minor sea-level fluctuations of the 5th order. A preliminary regional relative sea-level curve for the past 630 kyr is established using the present positions of the delta fronts mapped. The neotectonics curve derived by subtracting eustatic sea-level changes from the relative sea-level curve shows that the depths of the delta fronts today are controlled primarily by regional tectonic movements and the global sea-level.Our seismo-stratigraphic interpretation documents that the area off Hong Kong and around the Dongsha Islands experienced two uplift episodes during the past 5 ma, namely at the Miocene/Pliocene boundary and at the end of the lower Middle Pleistocene, respectively. These uplift events which are centred on the Dongsha Rise led to its subaerial exposure and to the erosion of the Pliocene and most of the Pleistocene strata. The change from thermal subsidence of the continental margin initiated at the end of the drift phase to the phase of magmato-tectonic uplift was caused by a reorientation of the tectonic regime.The Recent depositional environment on the northern continental margin of the South China Sea is dominated by sediment accumulation within the inner shelf and the Zhujiang (Pearl River) estuary. The outer shelf and upper slope, especially around the Dongsha Islands, are characterised by bypass of terrigenous material.The sedimentary column in the deepsea basin has a thickness of more than 2 km and comprises 14 depositional units starting with terrestrial rift deposits. It overlies oceanic as well as transitional crust.     

Application of method of fuzzy sets to the analysis of water masses in the northern South China Sea

Some methods of fuzzy sels are applied to the analysis of water masses in the north area of the South China Sea. In distinguishing water masses with the fuzzy clustering method, the authors propose a fuzzy similar relation based on Euclidean distance, and suggest a method for determining the number of water masses by the F-test, and further adjust rationally the boundaries of water masses and the membership relation of samples by the elastic classification method. Eight water masses are distinguished in the area, i.e., Nearshore Diluted Water F, Nearshore Mixed Water M, Warm Surface Water WS, Surface Water S, Surface-Subsurface Mixed Water SU, Subsurface Water U, Subsurface-Intermediate Mixed Water UI and Intermediate Water I. These point-sets of various water masseson the (?)-S diagram may be summed up in three types, that is, the deformed elliptical convexpoint-set, the half-boundless convex point-set and the point-set with single-side concave. For them, we have proposed methods of making their member     

Distribution of zooplankton biomass in the southeastern East China Sea

ＤｉｓｔｒｉｂｕｔｉｏｎｏｆｚｏｏｐｌａｎｋｔｏｎｂｉｏｍａｓｓｉｎｔｈｅｓｏｕｔｈｅａｓｔｅｒｎＥａｓｔＣｈｉｎａＳｅａ￥ＷａｎｇＣｈｕｎｓｈｅｎｇ；ＨｅＤｅｈｕａ；ＬｉｕＨｏｎｇｂｉｎ；ＹａｎｇＧｕａｎｍｉｎｇ；ＭｉａｏＹｕｔｉａｎａｎｄＹｕＨｏ...     

The evolution of the coral reefs in the middle and north parts of the South China Sea and its relation with tectonic and eustatic movements

In this paper, the morphogenesis, stratigraphic sequences and dates of the coral reefs in the middle and north parts of the South China Sea are discussed, the position of the distributary regions of Cenozoic coral reefs in plate tectonics, the relationships of coral-reef evolutionary characteristics and dates with sea-basin spreading. Neogene sea-water transgression and Quaternary global climate-eustatic fluctuation are expounded and proved, and the latitudinal variation of the distribution of coral reefs in various geologic times are summed up.