Distribution of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers in surface soils along an altitudinal transect at cold and humid Mountain Changbai: Implications for the reconstruction of paleoaltimetry and paleoclimate

Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers(GDGTs)serve as important tools for the quantitative reconstruction of paleoclimate and paleoecology in both continental and marine environments.Previous studies of GDGTs in the terrestrial environments focused primarily on the soils from the relatively warm-humid or cold-dry regions.However,it is still unclear how GDGTs respond to environmental variables in the cold-humid regions.Here,we collected soils along an altitudinal transect of Mountain(Mt.)Changbai,which has a typical cold-humid climate,to investigate the distribution of GDGTs and the response of GDGT-based proxies to changes in climate along the transect.The shift in the distribution of archaeal isoprenoidal GDGTs(iso GDGTs)revealed that the archaeal community varied significantly along the transect,which can affect the relationship between TEX_(86)and mean annual air temperature(MAT).In addition,the increased temperature seasonality at higher altitudes exerted a significant impact on TEX_(86).We proposed a global calibration of TEX_(86)for the growing season temperature reconstruction in the soil environments:T=85.19×TEX_(86)-46.30(R~2=0.84,p0.001).The methylation indices for 5-methyl branched GDGTs(br GDGTs)including MBT′_(5me)and MBT_(5/6),showed correlation with soil water content but no relationship with MAT,indicating that MBT′_(5me)and MBT_(5/6)from cold-humid environments may be not suitable for temperature and altitude reconstruction.In contrast,the recently developed p H proxies,including MBT′_(6me)(the methylation index for 6-methyl br GDGTs),CBT(Cyclisation index of Branched Tetraethers),IR_(IIa’)(Isomer ratio of IIa′)and IR_(IIIa′)(Isomer ratio of IIIa′)exhibited significant correlations with soil p H,suggesting these proxies can still be used for soil p H reconstruction in the coldhumid regions.The combination of MBT′_(5me)and MBT′_(6me)was strongly related to different types of climate(cold-dry,warmhumid,cold-humid,and warm-dry).For example,MBT′_(5me)0.65 and MBT′_(6me)0.55 are diagnostic for the cold-humid climate.Thus,the combination of MBT′_(5me)and MBT′_(6me)has the potential as a tool for the identification of different types of paleoclimate.     

巢湖柱状沉积物中甘油二烷基甘油四醚脂(GDGTs)的组成特征

甘油二烷基甘油四醚脂(GDGTs)是目前生物地球化学研究的热点之一.与GDGTs有关的指标已成功地应用在海洋环境中有关来源判识和古环境古气候重建的研究,但是在湖泊环境中的应用目前还比较有限.通过开展巢湖柱状沉积物中GDGTs的组成测定,为GDGTs类脂分子标志物在湖泊系统中的应用提供依据.研究表明由柱状沉积物中支链GDGTs参数计算得到的量化结果与巢湖周围流域的环境温度、pH等历史记录能较好地吻合;柱状沉积物中类异戊二烯类GDGTs来源的不确定性可能是造成TEX_(86)指标的量化结果和实际的水体温度出现较大偏差的重要原因.另外,沉积物中GDGTs指标和TOC、C/N、δ~(13)C_(org)、δ~(15)N等传统湖泊总体有机质参数以及其它分子标志物指标相比,具有高分辨性和抗干扰等特点.因此,湖泊中GDGTs有望成为湖泊古气候和古环境重建的重要指标.     

Evolution of the East China Sea sedimentary environment in the past 14 kyr: Insights from tetraethers-based proxies

We reconstruct the environmental evolution of the East China Sea in the past 14 kyr based on glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers(GDGTs) in a sediment core from the subaqueous Yangtze River Delta. Two primary phases are recognized. Phase I(13.8–8 cal kyr BP) reflects a predominantly continental influence, showing distinctly higher concentrations of branched GDGTs(averaged 143 ng/g dry sediment weight, dsw) than isoprenoid GDGTs(averaged 36 ng/g dsw), high BIT index(branched vs. isoprenoid tetraethers) values(0.78) and a fluctuating GDGT-0/crenarchaeol ratio(R_(0/5), varied from 0.52 to 3.81). Within this interval, temporal increases of terrestrial and marine influence are attributed to Younger Dryas(YD)(ca. 12.9–12.2 cal kyr BP) cold event and melt-water pulse(MWP)-1B(11.5–11.1 cal kyr BP), respectively. The prominent transition from 8 to 7.9 cal kyr BP shows a sharp decrease in BIT index value(0.4) and increase in crenarchaeol, which marks the beginning of phase II. Afterwards, the proxies remain relatively constant, which indicates that phase II(7.9 cal kyr BP-present) is a shelf sedimentary environment with high stand of sea level. Overall, the BIT index in our record serves as a good marker for terrestrial influence at the site, and likely reflects the flooding history of the region. The TEX_(86)(Tetra Ether Index of tetraethers consisting of 86 carbons) proxy is not applicable in phase I because of an excess terrestrial influence; but it seems to be valid for revealing the annual SST in phase II(21.6±0.9°C, n=49). In contrast, the MBT'/CBT(Methylation of Branched Tetraethers and Cyclization of Branched Tetraethers) proxy appears to faithfully record the annual mean air temperature(MAT)(14.3±0.63°C, n=68) and presents an integrated signal over the middle and lower Yangtze River drainage basin.     

湖泊水体微生物四醚膜脂化合物研究进展

来源于微生物膜脂的甘油二烷基甘油四醚类(GDGTs)化合物是近年来被广泛用于古环境定量重建研究的化合物之一,究其原因在于此类化合物对环境响应敏感,特别是温度与pH值等,据此而建立的一系列GDGTs指标有效定量重建海洋、湖泊、泥炭以及土壤等不同沉积载体的环境信息.目前已在全球范围广泛开展湖泊沉积物GDGTs的研究工作,相继建立的全球以及不同区域尺度的湖泊沉积物GDGTs校正方程,已被用于湖泊古环境的定量重建研究,有效记载古湖泊环境变迁信息.相较之下,基于湖泊水体GDGTs的调查工作则起步较晚,但越来越多的研究显示,不同类型湖泊水体普遍贡献GDGTs,然而究竟此类水生来源GDGTs是否与陆源以及湖泊沉积物GDGTs具有类似的分布,以及他们对环境因素的响应如何,这都为湖泊古温度定量重建研究带来不确定性.基于此,本文总结这10年来湖泊水体GDGTs研究工作的进展,首先阐述湖泊水体不同来源(古菌以及细菌)GDGTs的分布情况,研究发现水体不同层位GDGTs浓度以及各组分之间存在差异,并且水深在不同湖泊对GDGTs浓度以及各组分相对比例的影响存在差异.此外还总结湖泊水体中古菌来源isoGDGTs以及细菌来源brGDGTs的生物来源,并进一步分析环境因素对不同深度水体GDGTs分布的影响,虽然温度依然是影响水体中GDGTs分布的首要因素之一,然而湖泊水深、温度以及水体中溶解氧浓度等因素存在着一定的耦合关系,这些因素往往协同作用于水体GDGTs,因此会为评估环境因素对水体GDGTs的影响带来难度.     

Distribution of GDGTs in lake surface sediments on the Tibetan Plateau and its influencing factors

Quantitative paleotemperature records are vital not only for verifying and improving the accuracy of climate model simulations, but also for estimating the amplitude of temperature variability under global warming scenarios. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) affects atmospheric circulation patterns due to its unique geographical location and high elevation, and studies of the mechanisms of climate change on the TP are potentially extremely valuable for understanding the relationship of the region with the global climate system. With the development of biomarker-based proxies, it is possible to use lake sediments to quantitatively reconstruct past temperature variability. The source of Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers (GDGTs) in lake sediments is complex, and their distribution is controlled by both climatic and environmental factors. In this work, we sampled the surface sediments of 27 lakes on the TP and in addition obtained surface soil samples from six of the lake catchments. We analyzed the factors that influence GDGT distribution in the lake sediments, and established quantitative relationship between GDGTs and Mean Annual Air Temperature (MAAT). Our principal findings are as follows: the majority of GDGTs in the lake sediments are bGDGTs, followed by crenarchaeol and GDGT-0. In most of the lakes there were no significant differences between the GDGT distribution within the lake sediments and the soils in the same catchment, which indicates that the contribution of terrestrial material is important. iGDGTs in lake sediments are mainly influenced by water chemistry parameters (pH and salinity), and that in small lakes on the TP, TEX₈₆ may act as a potential proxy for lake pH; however, in contrast bGDGTs in the lake sediments are mainly controlled by climatic factors. Based on the GDGT distribution in the lake sediments, we used proxies (MBT, CBT) and the fractional abundance of bGDGTs (f_abun) to establish calibrations between GDGTs and MAAT, respectively, which potentially provide the basis for paleoclimatic reconstruction on the TP.     

Advances in research of the mid-deep South China Sea circulation

The South China Sea(SCS) is a large marginal sea connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans.Under the factors of monsoons,strait transport,and varied bathymetry,the SCS presents a three-layer structure and strong diapycnal mixing which is far greater than that in the open ocean.Theoretical analysis and observations reveal that internal tides,internal solitary waves,and strong winds are the sources of the strong mixing in the northern SCS.A major consequence of the strong mixing is an active mid-deep circulation system.This system promotes exchange of water between the SCS and adjacent oceans,and also regulates the upper layer of wind-driven circulation,making the 3 dimensional SCS circulation clearly different from that in other tropical and subtropical marginal seas.The mass transport capacity of the mid-deep circulation has a substantial impact on marine sedimentation,the biogeochemical cycle,and other processes in the SCS.This paper summarizes the recent advances in middeep sea circulation dynamics of the SCS,and discusses the opportunities and challenges in this area.     

察汗淖尔表层沉积物GDGTs分布特征及影响因素

目前,甘油二烷基甘油四醚(GDGTs)组成和分布特征已被成功应用于古气候古环境重建中。然而,越来越多的研究表明除温度和pH值外,GDGTs也受其他环境因素影响,这导致了在同一地区运用多种温度和pH校准公式得到的结果差异较大,特别是在干旱地区尤为显著。因此,有必要开展现代过程GDGTs分布及其影响因素的调查,以提高温度和pH校准公式的适用性。为此,我们以北方察汗淖尔湖泊为中心,分析流域内24个湖泊沉积物和土壤GDGTs组成和分布。结果显示,所有样品GDGTs分布模式相似,其中古菌类异戊二烯GDGTs(简称isoGDGTs)以crenarchaeol为主,GDGT-0次之,crenarchaeol’含量较低,指示GroupⅠ.1b型奇古菌输入较多;细菌支链GDGTs(简称brGDGTs)中五甲基化brGDGTs丰度最高,其次是六甲基化和四甲基化brGDGTs。群落指数(community index,CI)表明,产brGDGTs的细菌群落属于冷簇,且冗余分析显示pH值对brGDGTs分布影响显著,二者可能共同导致了应用多种校准公式计算结果与器测记录之间的差异。通过该项工作我们认为在利用GD...     

Unravelling the hydrological effects on spatiotemporal variability of water chemistry in mountainous rivers from Southwest China

Understanding the effects of hydrological processes on solute dynamics is critical to interpret biogeochemical processes. Water chemistry and isotopic compositions of surface water (δ¹⁸O_w and δD_w) were investigated in rivers from Southwest China to study the effects of hydrological variability on biogeochemical processes. The inverse relationship between deuterium excess (d-excess) and δ¹⁸O_w could be ascribed to non-equilibrium fractionation processes, and the slope of the Local River Water Line was much lower than the Local Meteoric Water Line, suggesting the post-precipitation evaporation pattern. The evaporation fraction (1–f) was estimated by the d-excess method, varying from 0.01 to 0.18. (1–f), was a function of water temperature and drainage mean elevation, indicating that evaporation easily occurs at high temperatures in low-elevation regions. The hydrological processes co-varied with solute dynamics in the river network, and fluid transit time and temperature were likely responsible for the co-variations. Also, we found that hydrological processes played an important role in solute dynamics through shifting the geochemical processes (e.g., enrichment, water-rock reaction, photosynthesis, and secondary mineral precipitation). This study highlights that biogeochemical processes co-vary with hydrological processes, and we suggest that investigating hydrological processes can help to understand biogeochemical processes.     

Bio-Organic Geochemistry research in China: Advances,opportunities and challenges

The discipline of “Bio-Organic Geochemistry” is a cross research field between biogeochemistry and traditional organic geochemistry, which focuses on geochemical processes related to the biosynthesis of organic molecules (particularly lipids) by (micro) organisms, organic matter production by primary producers, degradation of organic matter by microbial processes recorded by retainable lipid biomarkers, and organic proxies for studies of paleo-climate, paleo-environments, paleoecology and Earth evolution. This field aims to go beyond the traditional petroleum-oriented Organic Geochemistry by integrating with biogeochemical concepts concerned mostly with biomolecules from cellular material such as DNA and lipids. A formal Chinese organization in Bio-Organic Geochemistry was established in 2012 when the first conference was held in Guangzhou. This organization has witnessed rapid growth over the past six years with focused research addressing organic proxies in paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental applications, with particular rapid development in glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers-derived proxies. Most progresses in China so far are made following or paralleling the international trend in biogeochemical studies. Things have begun to change with China’s ambitious initiatives in several bio-geo programs such as the Ocean Deep Drilling Program of China, the Microbial Hydrosphere Program, the Deep Carbon Observatory, and the Microbiome Program. Looking forward in the 21st Century, the growing Chinese research community in Bio-Organic Geochemistry faces grand opportunities and challenges as Chinese scientists propel themselves toward global research frontiers.     

Methane biotransformation in the ocean and its effects on climate change: A review

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Continental margins contain large reservoirs of methane as solid gas hydrate and the dissolved and gaseous forms of methane. Submarine methane seeps along the global continental margins, including the coastal seas, have been estimated to contribute 0.01 to 0.05 Gt of carbon to the atmosphere annually, accounting for between 1% and 5% of the global methane emissions to the atmosphere. Much of this methane is exhausted via microbial anaerobic methane oxidation. Methane biotransformation in the ocean has effects on global climate change. This review mainly introduces the mechanisms of methanogenesis and methane oxidation and describes new findings that will provide information that will improve the understanding of the balance in terms of the generation, migration and consumption of methane in marine environments. Moreover, this review provides new insights into methane biogeochemical cycles and the effects of marine methane budgets on global climate.     

The diurnalK 1 tide in the world ocean — A numerical investigation

Summary Based on a special numerical method (HN method) hydrodynamical processes in the sea were studied with an aim at their prediction. Within this framework, constantly checking the reliability of the numerical models, tides and wind driven motions have been investigated in estuaries, in marginal and adjacent seas, and in the oceans (seeH. Friedrich [1], W. Hansen [2–4], H. P. Schmitz [5]). Encouraged by the promising results, these numerical investigations have been extended by the author to the world ocean, initially to the semi-diurnalM ₂ tide ([8]) and now to theK ₁ tide. Results of computations carried out for theK ₁ tide are given in this paper.     

Climate tipping-point potential and paradoxical production of methane in a changing ocean

The global warming potential of methane (CH₄) is about 30 times stronger than that of carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a century timescale. Methane emission is hypothesized to have contributed to global climate change events and mass extinctions during Earth’s history. Therefore, the study of CH₄ production processes is critically important to the understanding of global climate change. It has been a dogma that biogenic CH₄ detectable in the oceans originates exclusively from the anaerobic metabolic activity of methanogenic archaea in hypoxic and anoxic environments, despite reports that many oxic surface and near-surface waters of the world’s oceans are CH₄-supersaturated, thereby rendering net sea-to-air emissions of CH₄. The phenomenon of CH₄ production in oxic marine waters is referred to as the “ocean methane paradox”. Although still not totally resolved, recent studies have generated several hypotheses regarding the sources of CH₄ production in oxic seawater. This review will summarize our current understanding of the importance of CH₄ in the global climate and analyze the biological processes and their underpinning mechanisms that lead to the production of CH₄ in oxic seawater environments. We will also tentatively explore the relationships of these microbial metabolic processes with global changes in climate and environment.     

Lipidomics in archaeal membrane adaptation to environmental stresses and growth conditions: A review of culture-based physiological studies

Membrane lipids are thought to be a crucial part of the homeoviscous adaptation of archaea to extreme conditions.This article reviews the recent lipidomic studies of physiological membrane adaptations of archaea, assesses the biomolecular basis of an organic paleothermometer, TEX86, and contemplates the future directions of archaeal lipidomics. The studies of extremophilic archaea have revealed that at least three different molecular mechanisms are involved in membrane adaptation of archaea:(1) regulation of the number of cyclopentane rings of caldarchaeol,(2) alteration of the diether-to-tetraether lipid ratio,and(3) variation of the proportion of saturated and unsaturated lipids. However, most of the studies have focused on a limited number of archaeal ether-linked lipids, such as glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers(GDGTs), which only represent a fraction of the entire lipidome. Environmental factors such as growth temperature and pH have been most frequently reported, but biotic factors, including growth phases, nutrition, and enzymatic activities affecting the membrane lipid composition are often overlooked. Membrane lipids of mesophilic ammonia-oxidizing marine Thaumarchaeota have been applied in the reconstruction of past sea surface temperatures. However, recent culture-based physiological studies have demonstrated that non-thermal biotic factors, including dissolved oxygen, ammonia oxidation rate and the growth rate, are the main drivers of GDGT cyclization in Nitrosopumilus maritimus. Moreover, other related strains or ecotypes exhibit a markedly different set of stress adaptations. A trend is now developing to examine the whole lipid profile(lipidome) for studies of archaeal physiology and biochemistry related to lipid biosynthesis(lipidomics) to gain a better understanding of the biological mechanisms underpinning the applications of membrane lipid-based proxies in biogeochemical or ecological research.     

Two episodes of C-depletion in organic carbon in the latest Permian: Evidence from the terrestrial sequences in northern Xinjiang, China

New analyses reveal two intervals of distinctly lower δ¹³C values in the terrestrial organic matter of Permian–Triassic sequences in northern Xinjiang, China. The younger negative δ¹³C_org spike can be correlated to the conspicuous and sharp δ¹³C drops both in carbonate carbon and organic carbon near the Permian–Triassic event boundary (PTEB) in the marine section at Meishan. The geochemical correlation criteria are accompanied by a magnetic susceptibility pulse and higher abundances of distinctive, chain-like organic fossil remains of Reduviasporonites.The older negative δ¹³C_org spike originates within a latest Permian regression. Significant changes in organic geochemical proxies are recorded in the equivalent interval of the marine section at Meishan. These include relatively higher concentrations of total organic carbon, isorenieratane, C₁₄–C₃₀ aryl isoprenoids and lower ratios of pristane/phytane that, together, indicate the onset of anoxic, euxinic and restricted environments within the photic zone. The massive and widespread oxidation of buried organic matter that induced these euxinic conditions in the ocean would also result in increased concentrations of ¹³C-depleted atmospheric CO₂. The latest Permian environmental stress marked by the older negative δ¹³C_org episode can be correlated with the distinct changeover of ostracod assemblages and the occurrences of morphological abnormalities of pollen grains. These observations imply that biogeochemical disturbance was manifested on the land at the end of the Permian and that terrestrial organisms responded to it before the main extinction of the marine fauna.     

Progress and perspective on frontiers of geobiology

Geobiology is a new discipline on the crossing interface between earth science and life science,and aims to understand the interaction and co-evolution between organisms and environments.On the basis of the latest international achievements,the new data presented in the Beijing geobiology forum sponsored by Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013,and the papers in this special issue,here we present an overview of the progress and perspectives on three important frontiers,including geobiology of the critical periods in Earth history,geomicrobes and their responses and feedbacks to global environmental changes,and geobiology in extreme environments.Knowledge is greatly improved about the close relationship of some significant biotic events such as origin,radiation,extinction,and recovery of organisms with the deep Earth processes and the resultant environmental processes among oceans,land,and atmosphere in the critical periods,although the specific dynamics of the co-evolution between ancient life and paleoenvironments is still largely unknown.A variety of geomicrobial functional groups were found to respond sensitively to paleoenvironmental changes,which enable the establishment of proxies for paleoenvironmental reconstruction,and to play active roles on the Earth environmental changes via elemental biogeochemical cycles and mineral bio-transformations,but to be deciphered are the mechanisms of these functional groups that change paleoenvironmental conditions.Microbes of potential geobiology significance were found and isolated from some extreme environments with their biological properties partly understood,but little is known about their geobiological functions to change Earth environments.The biotic processes to alter or modify the environments are thus proposed to be the very issue geobiology aims to decipher in the future.Geobiology will greatly extend the temporal and spatial scope of biotic research on Earth and beyond.It has great potential of application in the domains of resource exploration and global change.To achieve these aims needs coordinative multidisciplinary studies concerning geomicrobiology and related themes,database and modeling of biogeochemical cycles,typical geological environments,and coupling of biological,physical,and chemical processes.     

Paleo-redox conditions across the Permian-Triassic boundary in shallow carbonate platform of the Nanpanjiang Basin,South China

Ocean anoxia has been widely implicated in the Permian-Triassic extinction.However,the duration and distribution of the ocean anoxia remains controversial.In this study,the detailed redox changes across the Permian-Triassic boundary(PTB)in the shallow platform interior at Great Bank of Guizhou(GBG)has been reconstructed based on the high-resolution microfossil composition and multiple paleo-redox proxies.The shallow platform is characterized by low sulfur(total sulfur(TS)and pyrite sulfur(Spy))concentrations,low Spy/TOC ratios,and low DOP values before the mass extinction,representing oxic conditions well.Following the mass extinction,the shift of multiple geochemical proxies,including high Spy/TOC ratios and DOP values,indicates dysoxic-anoxic conditions in shallow ocean.Furthermore,we reconstruct the transition of the redox conditions of Nanpanjiang Basin:the intense volcanic eruptions,which release huge CO2 and SO2 before the mass extinction,provoke the temperature rising and the collapse of terrestrial ecosystem.As a result,the increased weathering influx causes the carbon isotopic negative excursion and the expansion of the ocean oxygen minimum zone(OMZ).When the OMZ expanded into the photic zone,the episodic H2S release events enhance the pyrite burial at Dajiang section.Thus,intense volcanic eruptions,temperature increase,and oceanic hypoxia together lead to the PTB extinction.Recent studies show high temperature might be the key mechanism of the PTB extinction.In addition,this study confirms that the microbialites were formed in the dysoxicanoxic shallow water.     

Synergy of satellite remote sensing and numerical modeling for monitoring of suspended particulate matter

Monitoring and modeling of the distribution of suspended particulate matter (SPM) is an important task, especially in coastal environments. Several SPM models have been developed for the North Sea. However, due to waves in shallow water and strong tidal currents in the southern part of the North Sea, this is still a challenging task. In general there is a lack of measurements to determine initial distributions of SPM in the bottom sediment and essential model parameters, e.g., appropriate exchange coefficients. In many satellite-borne ocean color images of the North Sea a plume is visible, which is caused by the scattering of light at SPM in the upper ocean layer. The intensity and length of the plume depends on the wave and current climate. It is well known that the SPM plume is especially obvious shortly after strong storm events. In this paper a quasi-3-D and a 3-D SPM transport model are presented. Utilizing the synergy of satellite-borne ocean color data with numerical models, the vertical exchange coefficients due to currents and waves are derived. This results in models that for the first time are able to reproduce the temporal and spatial evolution of the plume intensity. The SPM models consist of several modules to compute ocean dynamics, the vertical and horizontal exchange of SPM in the water column, and exchange processes with the seabed such as erosion, sedimentation, and resuspension. In the bottom layer, bioturbation via benthos and diffusion processes is taken into account.Responsible Editor: Jörg-Olaf Wolff     

Decline in the species richness contribution of Echinodermata to the macrobenthos in the shelf seas of China

Echinoderms play crucial roles in the structure of marine macrobenthic communities. They are sensitive to excess absorption of CO₂ by the ocean, which induces ocean acidification and ocean warming. In the shelf seas of China, the mean sea surface temperature has a faster warming rate compared with the mean rate of the global ocean, and the apparent decrease in pH is due not only to the increased CO₂ absorption in seawater, but also eutrophication. However, little is known about the associated changes in the diversity of echinoderms and their roles in macrobenthic communities in the seas of China. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis of 77 case studies in 51 papers to examine the changes in the contribution of echinoderm species richness to the macrobenthos in the shelf seas of China since the 1980s. The relative species richness (RSR) was considered as the metric to evaluate these changes. Trends analysis revealed significant declines in RSR in the shelf seas of China, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea from 1997 to 2009. Compared with the RSR before 1997, no significant changes in mean RSR were found after 1997, except in the Bohai Sea. In addition, relative change in the RSR of echinoderms and species richness of macrobenthos led to more changes (decrease or increase) in their respective biomasses. Our results imply that changes in species richness may alter the macrobenthic productivity of the marine benthic ecosystem.     

Southern Ocean warming and increased ice shelf basal melting in the twenty-first and twenty-second centuries based on coupled ice-ocean finite-element modelling

We utilise a global finite-element sea ice–ocean model (FESOM), focused on the Antarctic marginal seas, to analyse projections of ice shelf basal melting in a warmer climate. Ice shelf–ocean interaction is described using a three-equation system with a diagnostic computation of temperature and salinity at the ice–ocean interface. A tetrahedral mesh with a minimumhorizontal resolution of 4 km and hybrid vertical coordinates is used. Ice shelf draft, cavity geometry, and global ocean bathymetry have been derived from the RTopo-1 data set. The model is forced with the atmospheric output from two climate models: (1) the Hadley Centre Climate Model (HadCM3) and (2) Max Planck Institute’s ECHAM5/MPI-OM coupled climate model. Results from experiments forced with their twentieth century output are used to evaluate the modelled present-day ocean state. Sea ice coverage is largely realistic in both simulations; modelled ice shelf basal melt rates compare well with observations in both cases, but are consistently smaller for ECHAM5/MPI-OM. Projections for future ice shelf basal melting are computed using atmospheric output for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scenarios E1 and A1B. In simulations forced with ECHAM5 data, trends in ice shelf basal melting are small. In contrast, decreasing convection along the Antarctic coast in HadCM3 scenarios leads to a decreasing salinity on the continental shelf and to intrusions of warm deep water of open ocean origin. In the case of the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS), this water reaches deep into the cavity, so that basal melting increases by a factor of 4 to 6 compared to the present value of about 90 Gt/year. By the middle of the twenty-second century, FRIS becomes the dominant contributor to total ice shelf basal mass loss in these simulations. Our results indicate that the surface freshwater fluxes on the continental shelves may be crucial for the future of especially the large cold water ice shelves in the Southern Ocean.     

Understanding coastal wetland hydrology with a new regional‐scale,process‐based hydrological model

Coastal wetlands represent an ecotone between ocean and terrestrial ecosystems, providing important services, including flood mitigation, fresh water supply, erosion control, carbon sequestration, and wildlife habitat. The environmental setting of a wetland and the hydrological connectivity between a wetland and adjacent terrestrial and aquatic systems together determine wetland hydrology. Yet little is known about regional‐scale hydrological interactions among uplands, coastal wetlands, and coastal processes, such as tides, sea level rise, and saltwater intrusion, which together control the dynamics of wetland hydrology. This study presents a new regional‐scale, physically based, distributed wetland hydrological model, PIHM‐Wetland, which integrates the surface and subsurface hydrology with coastal processes and accounts for the influence of wetland inundation on energy budgets and evapotranspiration (ET). The model was validated using in situ hydro‐meteorological measurements and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ET data for a forested and herbaceous wetland in North Carolina, USA, which confirmed that the model accurately represents the major wetland hydrological behaviours. Modelling results indicate that topographic gradient is a primary control of groundwater flow direction in adjacent uplands. However, seasonal climate patterns become the dominant control of groundwater flow at lower coastal plain and land–ocean interface. We found that coastal processes largely influence groundwater table (GWT) dynamics in the coastal zone, 300 to 800 m from the coastline in our study area. Among all the coastal processes, tides are the dominant control on GWT variation. Because of inundation, forested and herbaceous wetlands absorb an additional 6% and 10%, respectively, of shortwave radiation annually, resulting in a significant increase in ET. Inundation alters ET partitioning through canopy evaporation, transpiration, and soil evaporation, the effect of which is stronger in cool seasons than in warm seasons. The PIHM‐Wetland model provides a new tool that improves the understanding of wetland hydrological processes on a regional scale. Insights from this modelling study provide benchmarks for future research on the effects of sea level rise and climate change on coastal wetland functions and services.