First record of red filament threadfin bream, Nemipterus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1830) (Perciformes, Nemipteridae), from Chinese waters

We collected five specimens of threadfin bream from Beihai, Guangxi, China in March 2010. These were subsequently identified as red filament threadfin bream Nemipterus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1830), being the first record of this species from Chinese waters. N. marginatus is distinguished by the following characteristics: lower border of eye lies above a line from tip of snout to upper base of pectoral fin; mouth oblique, maxillary extending to lower anterior border of pupil; teeth in jaws in several rows, pointed; upper jaw with 3 to 5 pairs of small recurved canines; suborbital with straight lower edge and rounded posterior edge; pectoral fins extending to between level of anus and origin of anal fin; pelvic fins reaching to the first or second anal rays; caudal fin forked, upper lobe tails into a short reddish filament; dorsal fin bluish with a yellow margin distally and a broad yellow median band which subdivides posteriorly into 3 small bands.     

A new record of a flathead fish (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from China based on morphological characters and DNA barcoding

A new record of Platycephalus sp.1 (sensu Nakabo, 2002) was documented based on morphological characters and DNA barcoding. We collected 174 specimens of the genus Platycephalus from Chinese coastal waters of Dongying, Qingdao, Zhoushan, and Beihai. Samples were identified as Platycephalus sp.1 morphologically. The coloration, meristic traits, and morphometric measurements are consistent with previously published records. In brief, it is an orange-brown flathead fish with dark brown spots scattered on head and body, lateral line scales 83 to 99 with one or two spine-bearing anteriormost pored scale, no yellow blotch on the caudal fin. Cytochrome oxidase I subunit (COI) gene fragments were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. The mean evolutionary distance within the species Platycephalus sp.1 was 0.1%. Net evolutionary distances between Platycephalus sp.1 and other species of Platycephalus ranged from 10.8% to 19.7%, which is much greater than the threshold for species delimitation. The COI sequence analysis strongly supports the validity of Platyceohalus sp.1 at genetic level.     

中国鲉形目棘鲬属一新纪录种——丝鳍棘鲬

【目的】记述中国南海海域棘鲬属的一新纪录种,以厘定中国南海海域棘鲬属的分类。【方法】2019年4月于中国南海北部海域海南岛东南渔场采集棘鲬属样品,采用形态学鉴定方法研究其形态特征,描述其生态习性,编制中国棘鲬属分种检索表。【结果与结论】样品中有6尾为中国新纪录种——丝鳍棘鲬Hoplichthys filamentosus Matsubara&Ochiai,1950。主要特征:体延长,平扁,向后渐狭小,背缘低平,腹缘平直;背鳍VI,14~15;臀鳍17;胸鳍13+ⅲ;腹鳍Ⅰ-5;尾鳍17;侧线骨板27;鳃耙2+11~12;体具几条不明显深色横带;胸鳍具黑色斑点;第1背鳍分布黄色斑点,具黑色小点和黑边;第2背鳍中部分布黄色圆斑,每1鳍条根部具黄色圆斑;腹鳍白色,无斑纹;臀鳍无明显斑纹;尾鳍后缘具黑边,中部较随机分布黄色圆斑,下叶颜色较深。该种雌雄异形:1)雄性下颌骨腹外侧具棘,雌性则隐没皮下;2)雄性第2背鳍鳍条均显著延长呈丝状,雌性则无显著延长。     

Study on wetland biodiversity in China

Wetland biodiversity means mainly the types of wetland ecosystem and biological species diversity. Biodiversity includes all species of plants, animals and microbes, all gene possessed by them and all ecosystems consisting of them and environment. According to the origin and genesis, China’s wetlands can be divided into natural wetland ecosystems including mires, lakeshores, bottomland, seashore, wet meadow, etc., and artificial wetland ecosystem including paddy field. Then based on geomorphological type, these ecosystems can be divided into 15 subsystems, then based on soil substrata and ecological niche conditions, they can be subdivided into 15 classes, finally according to construction species of plants, several types can be divided into. They are not only the expression of ecosystem diversity, but also the base for biological communities subsistence. This peculiar ecological niche provides a complex and perfect special habitat for various animal and plant communities. In this special habitat, there exist various biological types from monomolecular microbes to higher plants and animals, especially some endangered and rare plants and animals. According to the statistics, there are more than 300 species of birds in China wetlands, making up one-third of the total number of China’s birds. Wetlands not only good place for waterbirds living, but also the important environment on which wild animals and plant rely for existence. There are 65 species of mammals, 50 species of reptiles, 45 species of amphibious animals, 1040 species of fish, 825 species of higher plants, 639 species of angiosperm, 10 species of gymnosperm, 12 species of pteridophyte and 164 species of bryophyte investigated in China’s wetlands.     

A qualitative appraisal of China’s efforts in fishing capacity management

This paper provides a critical review of some major efforts made by China to manage the fishing capacity of its marine capture fisheries. It begins by reviewing the key concepts and issues closely related to fishing capacity management. Following on this, a brief introduction to China’s marine capture fisheries is offered, especially the trends of its marine landings and marine fishing fleets and the status of fish stocks in waters under its jurisdiction. Next comes the main concern of the paper, i.e., some major actions recently initiated by China to deal with the overcapacity problem confronting it. The paper ends with conclusions and suggestions.     

IS CHINA LEARNING FROM ITS NEIGHBORS? A COMPARISON OF OVERSEAS INVESTMENT BETWEEN CHINA AND OTHER EAST ASIAN ECONOMIES

1INTRODUCTIONAfter2decades'opendoorpractice,Chinahasnotonlybeenabigplayerasanimportanthostnationtoforeigndirectinvestment(FDI),butalsothelargestFDIhomenationamongthedevelopingcountries(SUN,1998;ZHANG,1995;WorldInvestmentReport,1998).Infact,sincethelate1980s,theChinesegovernmenthasnotsimplyputitseffortintoexportingmade-in-China"productstoearnforeigncurrencyorintoencouragingforeigninwardcapital.Ithasactivelyencourageditsmanufacturerstoinvestoverseas,andhasdeliberatelyandstrategical…     

渤海海峡亚海鲂属鱼类一新记录种——云纹亚海鲂

2012年12月3日,在渤海海峡的蓬莱近海浅水海域捕获雄性成体鱼1尾,该鱼体长34 cm,体高18cm,体长为体高的1.9倍,体宽4.5 cm,头长12.5 cm,体长为头长的2.7倍,尾柄长4.5 cm,体光滑无鳞。管状侧线前半部弧形,后半部平直,行于体中央。棘状骨板沿背鳍基底两侧各12块,臀鳍基底两侧各8块,每一骨板中央具1棘,向后;胸部6块,自第3骨板开始分左右两行;腹部7块,自第2骨板开始分左右两行,胸腹部骨板棘小,形成锯齿缘。背鳍1个,鳍棘部与鳍条部之间有一深缺刻;鳍棘细长,棘间鳍膜延长成丝状,最长超过尾鳍末端。据其形态特征和测量值,鉴定为云纹亚海鲂(Zenopsis nebulosa Temminck et Schlegel,1847),为该海域首次记录。     

Wetland resource protection and rational utilization in China

Wetlands of China cover an area of 63 million ha, among which, natural wetlands 25 million ha, including mires, shallow lakes, etc., artificial wetlands 38 million ha. Besides these, there are a lot of rivers and islands, stretching 18,000 km of coastal line and coastal zone below the tidal within the water depth of 6 m. Based on the climatic regional differences, biota similarity and biodiversity abundance, China’s wetlands can be divided into 9 main regions. Wetlands not only have huge functions to regulate mankind’s living environment, but also are the important and precious natural resources. For a long period, since the contradiction between population and resources, energy, grain is getting more and more obvious, China’s wetlands are facing to serious disturbances, such as large-scale reclamation, overhunting, industrial waste water pollution and species introducing. They have brought about the wetland quantity reducing and quality falling, furthermore have effects on sustainable development. For the special national conditions of China, higher population pressure, China should carry out wetland resource protection and rational utilization, not only protection.     

Two new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cobitis</Emphasis> Linnaeus (Teleostei: Cobitidae) from southern China

Two new species of the genus Cobitis from southern China, C. hereromacula from the Luohe River in Guangdong Province and C. baishagensis from the Nandujiang River in Hainan Province, are described and illustrated here. C. hereromacula can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following combination of characteristics: absence of the second and third pigmentary zones of Gambetta; 13–16 oval blotches on the dorsum and 10–13 vertical, elongated triangular blotches below the midlateral line with more than 20 vertical dark brown bars between them; 6–7 narrow rows of dark spots on the caudal fin; a vertical oval spot smaller than the eye diameter on the upper part of the caudal peduncle; pointed mental lobes of the lower lip pointed with a slightly filiform tip; one slender and long needle-shaped lamina circularis at the base of the first branched ray of the male pectoral fins. C. baishagensis can be distinguished from its congeners by the fourth Gambetta zone being covered by 10–12 transverse elongated blotches; 4–5 narrow rows of dark spots on the caudal fin; a vertical blotch smaller than the eye diameter on the upper part of the caudal peduncle; males with a slender and long needle-shaped lamina circularis at the second branched pectoral fin ray in males; large scales with a slightly large focal zone; undeveloped mental lobes with a lower lip that does not end posteriorly in a filiform tip.     

Exopolysaccharide production by four cyanobacterial isolates and preliminary identification of these isolates

Four marine cyanobacterial isolates, named 104, 109, 113 and 115, from marine water off China＇s coast can release a large amount of exopolysaccharide （EPS） to medium. The effects of different components in medium on EPS production by the four isolates were investigated. Under the optimal condition, the EPS released by isolates 104,109, 113 and 115 reached 7.48 g L^-1, 8.33 g L^-1, 18.26 g L^-1, and 6.78 g L^-1 within 14 d,respectively. Based on the conventional identification methods for cyanobacteria,these isolates were assigned to genus Cyanothece.     

Regional disparity and convergence of China’s inbound tourism economy

Comprehending regional characteristics and influencing factors of China’s inbound tourism economy is important to make effective policies that will help inbound tourism develop harmoniously and shrink regional disparity. This paper studied the regional disparity and convergence of China’s inbound tourism economy during 1996–2008 with the methods of σ-convergence, club convergence and β-convergence. The results indicate that 1) inbound tourism receipts per capita (ITRPC) of the whole country, the eastern, central and western regions presented the rapid increasing trend; 2) ITRPC of the whole country was characterized by convergence; 3) the eastern region presented club convergence, but the central and western regions did not show this trend; 4) the star-hotel levels and investment in fixed assets for the tourism industry per capita had a same trend to growth rates of ITRPC, promoting inbound tourism development, and there was no difference among the 31 provinces (municipalities) in the mainland of China; 5) but the proportion of employed persons in the tourism industry accounting for total population and the proportion of the tertiary industry accounting for GDP had a reversal trend to growth rates of ITRPC, shrinking the provincial disparity in inbound tourism economy, and there were differences between the developed provinces and the developing provinces. Based on these analyses, we put forward some suggestions for the developing provinces to speed up inbound tourism economy.     

FRACTAL ANALYSIS APPLIED TO SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF CHINA＇S VEGETATION

Based on the fractal theory, the spatial structure of China＇s vegetation has been analyzed quantitatively in this paper. Some conclusions are drawn as the following. 1） The relationships between size and frequency of patch area and patch shape index exist objectively for China＇s vegetation. 2） The relationships between perimeter and area exist objectively for China＇s vegetation. 3） The fractal dimension of evergreen needleleaf forests on mountains in subtropical and tropical zones is the largest, while the smallest for deciduous broadleafand evergreen needleleaf mixed forests in temperate zone, reflecting the most complex spatial structure for evergreen needleleaf forests on mountains in subtropical and tropical zones and the simplest for deciduous broadleaf and evergreen needleleaf mixed forests in temperate zone. 4） The fractal dimensions of China＇s vegetation types tend to decrease from thc subtropics to both sides. 5） The stability of spatial structure of deciduous broadleaf and evergreen needleleaf mixed forests in temperate zone is the largest, while the smallest for double-cropping rice, or double-cropping rice and temperate-like grain, and tropical evergreen economic tree plantations and orchards, reflecting the steadiest for deciduous broadleaf and evergreen needleleaf mixed forests in temperate zone and the most unstable for double-cropping rice, or double-cropping rice and temperate-like grain, and tropical evergreen economic tree plantations and orchards in spatial structure. 6） The stability of spatial structure of China＇s vegetation tends to decrease from the temperate zone to both sides, it is significantly pertinent to understand the formation, evolution, dynamics and complexity rule of ecosystem of vegetation.     

Research Agenda for Understanding Transboundary Ecosystem Changes and Eco-security in Southwestern China

Introduction One of the foremost challenges facing the world in the 21st century is maintaining global ecosystem diversity. This requires thorough understanding of ecosystem vulnerability and resilience. Economic globalization has forced nations to consid…     

Microsatellite variation in the oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea plicatula</Emphasis> along the coast of China

Genetic diversity and differentiation of the oyster Crassostrea plicatula populations from China’s coast were studied based on seven microsatellite loci. All loci showed high polymorphism for all five C. plicatula populations, with an average number of allele per locus of 19.3–27.9 and an average expected heterozygosity of 0.889–0.952. Significant departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and deficits of heterozygotes were observed over most populations at each locus, which were fully explained by null alleles. Microsatellite analysis revealed significant subdivision in the C. plicatula populations. According to the neighbor-joining tree constructed on the basis of the D _A distance, the five populations fell into three regional groups, showing a relatively homogeneous genetic structure in geographically close populations. Assignation tests correctly assigned high percentages of individuals to their original populations and groups, and also confirmed the existence of genetic differentiation among C. plicatula populations. The results obtained in this study will facilitate the formulation of appropriate fisheries management programs, stock identification and conservation of biodiversity for the species.     

Regional Differences of China′s Urban Expansion from Late 20th to Early 21st Century Based on Remote Sensing Information

This study investigated the regional differences of China′s urban land expansion from the late 1980s to the year of 2008, based on the spatio-temporal analysis of CLCD (China′s land cover/land use database) datasets which were mainly produced from remote sensing imagery data. A newly defined urbanization level index (UI), based on urban land area, is proposed to describe Chinese urban expansion process at 1 kilometer, provincial, regional, and na-tional scales, together with the absolute urban expansion index (UEa) and the relative urbanization expansion index (UEr). The results indicate that the percentages of total land area occupied by urban in the late 1980s, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2008 were approximately 0.25%, 0.32%, 0.33%, 0.43% and 0.52% of China′s total land area, respectively. Between the late 1980s and 2008, the total urban expansion in the mainland of China was 2.645 × 104 km2, resulting in an annual urban expansion area of about 1322.7 km2/yr, with the UEr of 111.9%. This study also finds that there has been an obvious spatial gradient of urbanization ratio running from the east coast to the west inland, and the urbanization gaps among different regions have persisted over the past two decades. The study also reveals obvious temporal varia-tions of the urbanization rates. There was very little urban growth during the period of 1995-2000 due to the governmental policy factors.     

Farmer Income Differential in Regions

1 Introduction China’s success in reform and opening up policy for twenty years is regarded as China’s miracles in the world, whereas the income differential widening phenomenon has been the focus of the policymakers and researchers. The typical research of personal income allocation in regions on microeconomic data has been done in China Social Science Research Institution, and by the special income allocation research team’s household investiga- tion, we could get the useful farmer’s i…     

The impact of the contemporary climatic change on China’s thermal resources

In the global climatic change, China’s climatic change will be more complicated and its impact on the agroclimatic resources and agricultural production will also be more obvious. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to take the agroclimatic resources as a comprehensive climatic information system for evaluating the impact of climatic change on agriculture and exploring the correspondent ways to deal with it. This article studies the impact of climatic change on China’s thermal resources and make a correlation analysis of the climatic condition and the agroclimatic thermal resources in order to establish a regression equation and made simulant computation with Monte Cario Method. In addition, it analyses the change of the thermal resources possibly resulted from climatic change, evaluates its impact on agricultural, and finally sets up the correspondent countermeasures.     

Development Mechanism of Urban System in Rapidly Changing Period in China

The purpose of this research is to investigate the socio-economic development mechanism of China’s urban system in terms of spatial structure and its change. Totally 246 cities from 340 designated cities in 1985, and 488 from 640 designated cities in 1995 are selected as sample cities. And 22 attributes concerning urban features are analyzed to clarify the socio-economic characteristics and their changes in the urban system. Finally, the primary development factors are verified with the relationship of spatial structure and socio-economic characteristics. In conclusion, the socio-economic changes occurred more extremely than spatial structure changes. Furthermore, foreign investment be- came a major power for the development of China’s urban system in the period of 1985–1995.     

A new pomfret species,Pampus minor sp. nov. (Stromateidae) from Chinese waters

Thirty-two 63.0–134.4 mm standard length specimens collected during 1954–1990 from the coastal waters of the South China Sea and the continental coast of the Taiwan Strait were identified as a new species,Pampus minor Liuet Li, sp. nov. Contribution No. 3329 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Study supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences Special Grant for Biota Research.