Seasonal and tidal variations in the hydrology of Wellington harbour

Observations were made on several hydrological features of Wellington Harbour, New Zealand (41° 16’ S, 174° 51’ E) during 1970 to 1972. These suggest that the harbour is topographically partially isolated from oceanic influences, and that waters within the harbour undergo efficient mixing.

Monthly mean sea‐surface temperatures ranged seasonally between 10.5°c and 18.5°c, and some stratification was observed during summer and winter. Salinities usually ranged from 33.5‰ to 34.5‰, and water transparency by Secchi disc from 3 m to 6 m. Dissolved oxygen content ranged from 96% to 127% saturation, usually exceeding 100% saturation in surface waters.

Under normal discharge conditions during winter, the Hutt River was observed to markedly affect surface temperatures and salinities as far south as Somes Island to a depth of about 5 m.     

Albacore off the north‐west coast of New Zealand,February 1972

During two trolling surveys in February 1972, albacore, Thunnus alalunga (Bonnaterre), were located between Cape Reinga and Cape Egmont, but were more abundant between Kaipara Harbour and Albatross Point. Fish catches and associated hydrological data are presented. Albacore were caught only in areas where the sea surface temperatures were between 18.5°c and 21.3°c, and usually in areas where the water was blue and the bottom depth between 45 m and 80 m. The albacore were mainly of the 2‐ and 3‐year age‐groups. Of the 665 fish landed, 449 were tagged and released, but no recoveries have been made.

Commercial vessels located albacore within 20 km of New Plymouth during the summers of 1970 and 1971 when sea surface temperatures were 1.5–2.5°c higher than in February 1972, probably because of a more southward extension of the West Auckland Current in 1970 and 1971.     

Some seasonal water temperature patterns in the Hauraki gulf,New Zealand

The changing pattern of water temperature in the Hauraki Gulf at approximately two‐monthly intervals during one and one‐half seasonal cycles in 1965–66 was determined from sea surface temperatures and bathythermograph profiles.

Surface and bottom temperatures ranged from 22.0°c and 20.5°c respectively in March to 12.5°c and 13.0°c in July‐September. Seasonal temperature ranges and short‐term variations were greatest in the shallow south‐west Gulf.

In winter the Gulf water was coolest close to shore. It was typically isothermal in depth but a temperature inversion of approximately l°c frequently formed, probably because of the combination of strong winds and an increased outflow of cool, low salinity water from harbours and bays. A similar inversion in Colville Channel may have been caused by more complex tidal and/or ocean current conditions.

In spring and summer the Gulf became thermally stratified, with warmest temperatures in the shallow areas. Thermoclines were generally irregular in position and size, and probably represented solar heating and minor current boundaries rather than a distinct separation of major water masses. In late summer and autumn bottom temperatures increased and almost equalled the maximum surface temperature.

During autumn surface water temperatures close to land decreased rapidly to return the Gulf to its winter isothermal condition.

Local factors (wind, rainfall, tides, depth of water, and proximity to land) probably influence sea temperatures in the Gulf. Seawards of a line from Cape Rodney to Cape Colville oceanic conditions prevail; water temperatures are more constant and increase to seaward in both winter and summer.

Oceanic and Gulf waters meet and mix in the Rodney‐Colville area, and Gulf water is transported east through Colville Channel. The extent of oceanic water penetration into the Gulf at depth is unknown.     

New Zealand sea lions,phocarctos hookeri,on the snares islands

Abstract

New Zealand sea lions, Phocarctos hookeri (Gray, 1844), on Main Island of the Snares Islands (48° S) are restricted to the eastern coastal region between Molly Bay and Punui Bay. In the 1970–71 summer, a maximum of 47 sea lions (36 ?, 11 ?) was counted in one day, 5 January 1971.

A female and pup were seen several times in January and February 1969, and a second mother‐pup pair in January 1971. These sightings, with a similar record in 1907, show that small numbers of sea lions may breed on the Snares Islands, north of the main breeding area at the Auckland Islands (51° S).     

Seasonal hydrology of Port Fitzroy,Great Barrier Island,New Zealand

At 2‐monthly intervals between March 1974 and January 1975 seawater temperature and salinity (at 0 m and 5 m depths) and turbidity (as Secchi disc visibility) were measured in Port Fitzroy and adjacent bays on Great Barrier Island (36°11'S, 175°21'E). A seasonal pattern was evident in all three parameters. Variation between depths and between high and low tides was generally only slight, although differences of up to 3.6°c and 12.58‰ were recorded occasionally. Maximum temperatures (22–23°c) occurred in January, with minima (13–14°c) in July. Salinities were generally between 35.0 and 35.6‰, but values as low as 22.25‰ at the surface were recorded after heavy rainfall. Secehi disc visibility measurements of turbidity varied between 2.0 and 12.5 m, but were usually 5–9 m.

A graded series of four generalised areas was distinguished, ranging from sheltered, almost estuarine inner bays, to exposed open water with properties similar to outer Hauraki Gulf water.

The circulation through Port Fitzroy comprises the main exchange of water through the northern entrance channel, causing a southerly movement of water on the flood tide and a northerly movement on the ebb, together with a small compensatory exchange through the narrow southern entrance.     

Distribution,seasonality, lengths,and feeding behaviour of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) observed in New Zealand waters

Data from 36 whale shark (Rhincodon typus Smith, 1828) sightings off north‐east North Island, New Zealand are summarised. Sightings were concentrated over the outer shelf and shelf break in areas influenced by the East Auckland Current at sea surface temperatures (SST) of 21–24°C. Sightings occurred from late spring to early autumn (November‐April) but were most frequent in midsummer (February) when upwelling along the north‐east shelf is weakest. The data indicate whale sharks occur off north‐east New Zealand most summers, including those when SST is colder than usual. A cluster of sightings and three observations of whale sharks feeding on schools of anchovy (Engraulis australis) near Whale Island, Bay of Plenty, suggest whale sharks may aggregate seasonally in this area. Estimated total lengths (TL) of 26 whale sharks ranged from 3.5 to 15 m, with 73% between 6 and 9 m TL.     

Distribution of Delphinidae (Cetacea) in relation to sea surface temperatures off Eastern and Southern New Zealand

Records of four species of Delphinidae, Delphinus delphis, Lissodelphis peroni, Lagenorhynchus obscurus, and Lagenorhynchus cruciger in waters to the east and south‐east of New Zealand are discussed in relation to surface temperatures.

In this region D. delphis appears to be largely confined north of the Subtropical Convergence and a minimum surface temperature of about 14°c, and near New Zealand from Hawke Bay southward in the warm water of the East Cape Current; L. peroni to the Subtropical Convergence and the subantarctic water to the south of it, between surface temperatures of 9°c and 16°c; L. obscurus to the immediate vicinity of the Subtropical Convergence and surface temperatures in summer of about 14° to 15°c, and L. cruciger across the Antarctic Convergence region, in a surface temperature range of 2° to 9°c.     

南极普里兹湾及其邻近海域表层水镭同位素的分布及应用

中国第27次南极科学考察期间(2010年12月30日至2011年1月16日),对普里兹湾及其邻近海域表层海水进行了226Ra和228Ra的分析,结果表明:226Ra和228Ra比活度的变化范围分别为1.47—2.43Bq/m3和0.17—0.45Bq/m3,平均值分别为2.13Bq/m3和0.29Bq/m3,228Ra/226Ra)A.R.(228Ra与226Ra的活度比)的变化范围为0.08—0.20,平均值为0.14。根据盐度和226Ra的质量平衡方程,计算出研究海域表层水中冰融水、南极夏季表层水和普里兹湾中深层水的份额。研究海域表层水中温度、盐度、226Ra、228Ra、228Ra/226Ra)A.R.和冰融水份额的空间分布显示,在埃默里冰架前沿海域,西侧海域较东侧海域具有低温、高盐、高226Ra、低228Ra、低228Ra/226Ra)A.R.、低冰融水份额的特征,证实埃默里冰架下水体东进西出的运动规律。根据埃默里冰架前沿东、西侧水体228Ra/226Ra)A.R.的差异,估算出埃默里冰架下表层水体东进西出所经历的时间为1.85a。此外,在普里兹湾湾口中部海域(66.5—67.5°S,72°—74°E),观察到次表层水的上升通风作用,该区域较高的228Ra含量和228Ra/226Ra)A.R.证明这些表层水体并非来自湾外绕极深层水的上涌,而可能来自湾内埃默里冰架输出水体。     

基于WOA13数据的海区位置对北大西洋声波导影响分析

应用WOA13季节平均数据和BELLHOP模型,在季节、声源频率等因素确定的情况下,分10 m表面声源和250 m水下声源,分析北大西洋冬季东、西部海区的声波导情况。在给出不同海区位置的声速场和声波导具体信息的基础上,研究其规律:最小声速值和声道轴深度由直布罗陀海峡向外递减扩散,表层声速值和声速梯度由南向北递减,声跃层存在于低纬度海区,混合层在低纬度通常在100 m以内,在高纬度增加至100 m以上。10 m深度表面声源的汇聚区反转深度随纬度增加逐渐减少,西部海区深于东部海区;西部海区的汇聚区跨度大于东部海区,东西部跨度最大值出现在25°N和15°N,传播损失基本一致。250 m水下声源的汇聚区反转深度浅于10 m深度表面声源时,同样是西部海区大于东部海区,汇聚区跨度呈低-高-低规律,东西部跨度最大值出现在35°N和25°N;东部海区25°N以南、西部海区15°N以南,不同接收深度上的传播损失差异较大,以北差异较小。同时简要叙述了声影区对目标探测的影响。     

Distribution of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the Central Pacific Ocean

The plate culture method using the two formulae for non-nitrogenous media was adopted in this investigation for the purpose of counting and isolating nitrogen-fixing bacteria distributed in the open sea. Sea water samples were collected at eighteen different stations in the region of Lat. 50°N–15°S along Long. 155°W and two other stations in the Pacific Ocean. In order to compare with those samples from the open sea, water samples were also obtained at four stations in Suruga and Sagami Bays. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria appear to be widely but very unevenly distributed at all depths in sea water, in numbers approximately ranging from nil to 10⁴ per 100 ml of sea water, and denser vertical populations have been found in the area of Lat. 40°N and 5°N along Long. 155°W, even at depths from 2,000 to 3,000m. A conparatively denser population of bacteria was found in sea water from Suruga Bay and Sagami Bay. The bacteria associated with plankton were abundantly demonstrated, in numbers ranging from 10⁶ to 10⁸ per 1 ml settling volume of plankton, in many plankton samples collected at four stations in the southern parts of the Pacific Ocean. Almost all the bacteria isolated from the samples of blue green algal colonies,Trichodesmium, sp., were able to grow on nonnitrogeneous media.     

Sperm whales in the western south pacific

The distribution and movements of sperm whales, Physeter catodon Linn., in the western South Pacific (latitudes 30–70° S, longitudes 150E‐150°W) are examined. An undetermined number of catches by nineteenth century American whaleships, 9,720 catches by pelagic fleets in 1961–70, and 427 sightings in 1967 are analysed and correlated with oceanographic data from Australian and New Zealand surveys.

The proportion of females decreases southwards, abruptly at about latitude 44° S in the Tasman Sea, and at about 46–47° S east of New Zealand. Virtually no females occur south of 50° S. The male population density also decreases southwards: the density between 50–70° S appears to be less than 25% of that between 30–50° S. Sperm whales also appear to be less abundant in the eastern part of the region away from the New Zealand plateau, but more data are required.

The pattern of distribution and its seasonal changes probably correlate with vertical temperature gradients of about 5°c in the upper 100 m of water, i.e., optimal conditions for squid schooling. Catch per unit effort in autumn is lower than in spring. A northward population shift in autumn is inferred, based on reduction of available food species and probable temperature tolerances of calves, most of which are born in February and March, towards the end of the southern summer. Some males overwinter in areas where suitable gradients persist, e.g., around the Chatham Islands.

Possibly the summer surface temperature maxima south of the South Island are low enough to inhibit the passage of breeding schools with calves from one side of the New Zealand archipelago to the other. Sperm whales do not pass through Cook Strait normally. Thus, unless considerable mixing of stocks occurs north of New Zealand in winter, there may be two “unit stocks”, one oscillating seasonally between the central Tasman Sea and the Fiji‐Tonga region, and another (probably smaller) between the east coast of the South Island and the region just north of the Chatham Islands.     

Physico‐chemical features of lake Ototoa,a sand‐dune lake in northern New Zealand

Lake Ototoa is a warm monomictic lake at 36° 31’ S, 174° 14'E. During a year's study (March 1969‐March 1970), the lake became thermally stratified in November, the metalimnion being between depths of 12 m and 16 m. Surface temperatures ranged between 10.2°c (in August) and 25.2°c (in late January), and bottom temperatures between 9.7°c and 17.5°c. The annual heat budget was calculated to be 642 354 KJ.m^‐2 (15 500 cal.cm^‐2) and the work of the wind in distributing the heat income 1.730 KJ.m^‐2 (1766 g.cm.cm^‐2). Secchi disc transparencies ranged between 5 m and 9.2 m (mean 7.07 m) and were greatest in the summer. Light transmission per metre was also high, ranging between 61% and 87%. Surface waters were normally supersaturated with oxygen, but during summer stratification oxygen concentrations in the bottom waters dropped to a minimum of 2.3 mg.litre^‐2 and a positive heterograde distribution of oxygen with depth was found. The oxygen deficit was 0.015 mg.cm^‐2.day^‐1 and showed the lake to be oligotrophic. Mean surface pH was 7.82, and the ionic composition of the waters was similar to that of other small New Zealand and Australian lakes located near the sea. Compared with other New Zealand lakes PO4‐P concentrations (range 1.00–10.20 μg.litre^‐1) were low and NO3—N concentrations (range 0.12–0.60 mg.litre^‐1) high.     

Regional scenarios of sea level rise and impacts on Basque (Bay of Biscay) coastal habitats,throughout the 21st century

Global climate models have predicted a rise on mean sea level of between 0.18 m and 0.59 m by the end of the 21st Century, with high regional variability. The objectives of this study are to estimate sea level changes in the Bay of Biscay during this century, and to assess the impacts of any change on Basque coastal habitats and infrastructures. Hence, ocean temperature projections for three climate scenarios, provided by several atmosphere–ocean coupled general climate models, have been extracted for the Bay of Biscay; these are used to estimate thermosteric sea level variations. The results show that, from 2001 to 2099, sea level within the Bay of Biscay will increase by between 28.5 and 48.7 cm, as a result of regional thermal expansion and global ice-melting, under scenarios A1B and A2 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. A high-resolution digital terrain model, extracted from LiDAR, data was used to evaluate the potential impact of the estimated sea level rise to 9 coastal and estuarine habitats: sandy beaches and muds, vegetated dunes, shingle beaches, sea cliffs and supralittoral rock, wetlands and saltmarshes, terrestrial habitats, artificial land, piers, and water surfaces. The projected sea level rise of 48.7 cm was added to the high tide level of the coast studied, to generate a flood risk map of the coastal and estuarine areas. The results indicate that 110.8 ha of the supralittoral area will be affected by the end of the 21st Century; these are concentrated within the estuaries, with terrestrial and artificial habitats being the most affected. Sandy beaches are expected to undergo mean shoreline retreats of between 25% and 40%, of their width. The risk assessment of the areas and habitats that will be affected, as a consequence of the sea level rise, is potentially useful for local management to adopt adaptation measures to global climate change.     

近50年来杭州湾七姊八妹列岛海域海床演变分析

七姊八妹列岛海域位于杭州湾南部的灰鳖洋内,除了岛礁周围局部存有深沟外,其余地区海床平缓.为了探究该海域海床演变情况,在了解杭州湾来水来沙特征基础上,分析了七姊八妹列岛海域的水动力、悬沙和底质分布特征.不同时期海图的对比分析表明,该海域近岸水深较小,人类活动频繁,围涂筑堤工程较多,一直处于淤积状态,属淤涨型岸滩,而离岸较远的海域,泥沙难于落淤而随潮反复搬运,基本处于冲淤平衡状态.1962～2008年这46 a间,七姊八妹列岛海域总体呈现与岸线走向一致的淤积、冲刷间隔分布的冲淤带.平均淤积厚度约2.2 m,淤积幅度约5.0 cm/a,大多数地方平均冲刷厚度约2.4 m,冲刷幅度约5.0 cm/a.这些特点与当地的水动力条件和泥沙沉积特性相一致.     

海域使用活动对海湾生态环境的压力评估——以莱州湾为例

以莱州湾为例,基于GIS和地理空间模拟框架,结合海洋生态红线区分布,建立了海域使用活动对海洋生态环境的潜在压力评估模型,空间量化评估多种海域使用活动对海洋生态环境的潜在影响。结果显示,多种海域使用活动的潜在压力总体呈近岸高于远岸、湾顶>东部>西部的分布特征;压力高值区集中于距岸10 km以内海域和5 m水深以内海域;海洋特别保护区、海洋自然保护区及重要河口生态系统等类型的海洋生态红线区受到开放式养殖、围海养殖、盐业用海活动的压力较大,需要对其进行重点监控。研究揭示了莱州湾海域使用活动对海洋生态环境潜在压力的空间分布格局,为海洋生态红线落地实施和海域使用管理提供决策依据。     

珠江口及其以东近海海域表层海水中三氟乙酸的初步研究

采用衍生化处理和气相色谱-质谱联用分析方法, 测定了珠江口及其以东近海海域表层海水中的三氟乙酸(Trifluoroacetic acid, TFA)含量。珠江口及其以东近岸的红海湾和大亚湾海区TFA浓度范围分别为113—170ng.L–1和202—336ng.L–1。红海湾内海水中TFA的平均水平(279ng.L–1)明显高于外海海水(210ng.L–1), 说明港湾内或其周边地区可能有TFA的点源输入。此外, 外海海水中TFA平均浓度比珠江口高69.1ng.L–1, 表明这种亲水性强、稳定性高的化合物除了已知的人为来源外, 可能还存在未知的人为源或自然源, 使得海洋作为其最终的汇浓度不断累积。     

孟加拉湾中尺度涡的总体特征与季节变化

采用AVISO提供的中尺度涡最新数据集,分析了孟加拉湾1993—2016年中尺度涡的总体特征和季节变化。结果表明:研究期间在孟加拉湾共有822个气旋涡,731个反气旋涡,主要分布在湾北部(15°N以北海域)和安达曼海。涡旋生命周期以28～59 d为主,平均振幅为7. 5 cm,平均半径为119. 6 km。在纬度变化上,涡旋振幅随纬度的增加有两个峰值,分别位于6°～9°N和15°～20°N之间,而涡旋半径随纬度增加而减少。涡旋的振幅、半径在随生命周期演变过程中生长过程较慢,消散过程较快。气旋涡和反气旋涡主要是向西移动,且均以向赤道方向偏移为主。在季节变化上,孟加拉湾较长生命周期(60 d以上)的中尺度涡具有明显的季节变化,春季生成的涡旋数量最多,冬季次之,夏季最少。通过合成分析得出风应力旋度是孟加拉湾中尺度涡季节变化的主要原因,而沿岸Kelvin波激发的西传Rossby波对涡旋的产生也有一定影响。涡动能分析表明,涡动能的高值区主要位于海盆的西边界和斯里兰卡东部海域,同时,在冬季、春季海盆的西边界和夏季、秋季海盆的北部涡旋活动较多的区域对应着较大的涡动能。     

Rare earth elements and Opal/CaCO<Subscript>3</Subscript> ratio of sinking particles observed with a time-series sediment trap at the mouth of Tokyo Bay

A time-series sediment trap was deployed from December 1994 to February 2002 at the mouth of Tokyo Bay (35°03′ N, 139°40′ E; water depth, 850 m). Sinking particles were obtained with a time interval of one week at a depth of approximately 100 m above the sea floor. Observed total mass fluxes varied from 3.3 to 226.7 g/m²/day with an average of 28.0 g/m²/day. Concentrations of rare earth elements, Al, Ca and Si in particulate materials were measured. The combustible fraction at 450°C is assumed to be equivalent to the organic matter content. Contents of biogenic materials, namely organic matter, opal and calcium carbonate, were about 30% and the content of lithogenic material was about 70%. Using La/Yb ratios of particles from the sediment trap and Tama-gawa River and surface sediment of Tokyo Bay, it was estimated that about 50% of the lithogenic particles collected in the sediment trap at the mouth of Tokyo Bay originated from resuspended surface sediment in Tokyo Bay. An increasing trend of Opal/CaCO₃ ratio in the sinking particles was found in the spring season. It is suggested that the relative increase of diatoms is due to the decreasing dissolved inorganic nitrogen input into Tokyo Bay.     

The comparative limnology of some New Zealand lakes

The morphometry, environmental conditions, and some physical and chemical data are given for twenty‐four New Zealand lakes: seven are in the southern part of the South Island, the others, excluding Lakes Waikaremoana and Waikareiti, are in the “thermal region” of the central North Island. These lakes form two separate groups and include the largest and deepest lakes in both islands.

The lakes in which stratification was established were found to belong to the class known as warm monomictic Two lakes, Rotorua and Rotoehu, were found to be homothermous throughout the year. Open water surface temperatures did not exceed 23°c in the North Island lakes or 19°c in the South Island, and minimum temperatures recorded were 7°c in the northern lakes and 5°c in the southern. In deep lakes the range of temperature was much less: Wakutipu had a range of 16–8.85°c.

The disappearance level of a Secchi disc varied from 18 m (Lake Taupo) to 0.8 m (Lake Rotongaio). The transparency of the water in the glacial and volcanic lakes was comparable to that of similar lakes in other parts of the world.

It was found that total ions, measured by the ion‐exchange resins reached high concentrations in lakes fed by thermal waters: Rotomahana 14.32m.e./l. By contrast Tikitapu, a seepage lake, had the low concentration of. 0.28m.e./l, and Wakatipu, a glacial fed lake, a concentration of O.58m.e./1. The pH range was 8.1–5.8, the lowest value being in Tikitapu, a volcanic lake. Slightly lower pH values were recorded in the bottom waters of lakes when stratified. Lakes were usually supersaturated with oxygen at the surface, and only a few small lakes showed a hypolimnial deficiency. Silica and phosphate were found in high concentrations in some thermal lakes but nitrogen in the forms measured, was found to be low.     

Role of Fresh Water Discharge from Rivers on Oceanic Features in the Northwestern Bay of Bengal

The circulation of northwestern Bay of Bengal is modeled using a three-dimensional Princeton Ocean Model (POM). Orthogonal curvilinear grid is used to get a higher resolution along the coastal boundaries. Numerical simulations on climatological scale for premonsoon were compared with those with and without fresh water during monsoon season.

The simulations for monsoon season without freshwater discharge at head Bay show intensification of the premonsoon features. The presence of lower SSTs and higher sea surface salinities as compared to premonsoon season along the coast substantiate this observation. The pole-ward moving East Indian Coastal Current (EICC) extends along-shore up to 20.5°N. Simulations with freshwater discharge for Monsoon season indicate that freshwater plume constitutes an equator-ward moving EICC branch opposing the pole-ward moving branch. The freshwater discharge modifies sea surface elevations along the northwestern coastal Bay of Bengal, in turn suppressing the coastal upwelling. Absence of freshwater plume imparts a significant change in the oceanic features in north western parts of Bay of Bengal.