Benthic foraminiferal assemblages as indicators of the paleoceanographic conditions in the eastern Equatorial Pacific

Five assemblages of benthic foraminifers reflecting the changes in the properties of the intermediate water masses and the biological productivity during different periods of the last glacial-interglacial cycle are defined based on the abundances and relative contents of indicative species in the upper 9 m of giant Core MD02-2529 from the Cocos Ridge. High bioproductivity and low oxygen content in the bottom water layer and sediments are established for the interstadial period based on the high abundance of the species Uvigerina peregrina, U. hispida, and C. pachyderma (Assemblage I) and especially for the Last Glacial Maximum (Assemblage II) with the dominant role of the same species and E. smithi. The transition from the glaciation to the current interglacial (Termination I, Assemblage III) is characterized by a high share of the epifaunal species C. wuellerstorfi and H. subhaidingeri, which indicates enhanced hydrodynamic activity and ventilation of the intermediate water washing the bottom. The end of Termination I was marked by strengthened selective dissolution of carbonate microfossils due to the increased influx of fresh organic matter to the bottom and/or advection of more aggressive intermediate waters. The diverse Early Holocene assemblage (Assemblage IV) points to variable ecological niches, while the abundance of the infaunal U. hispida in Assemblage V indicates low productivity of the surface waters and a low oxygen concentration in the bottom sediments of the Late Holocene.     

春季长江口富营养化水域浮游植物群集对冲淡水和上升流的响应

A comprehensive study on the phytoplankton standing stocks, species composition and dominant species in the eutrophic Changjiang(Yangtze River) Estuary(CE) was conducted to reveal the response of phytoplankton assemblage to Changjiang Diluted Water(CDW) and upwelling in the spring. Phytoplankton presented peak standing stocks(13.03 μg/L of chlorophyll a, 984.5×103 cells/L of phytoplankton abundance) along the surface isohaline of 25. Sixty-six species in 41 genera of Bacillariophyta and 33 species in 19 genera of Pyrrophyta were identified, as well as 5 species in Chlorophyta and Chrysophyta. Karenia mikimotoi was the most dominant species, followed by Prorocentrum dentatum, Paralia sulcata, Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima and Skeletonema costatum. A bloom of K. mikimotoi was observed in the stratified stations, where the water was characterized by low nitrate, low phosphate, low turbidity, and specific ranges of temperature(18–22 °C) and salinity(27–32). K.mikimotoi and P. dentatum accumulated densely in the upper layers along the isohaline of 25. S. costatum was distributed in the west of the isohaline of 20. Benthonic P. sulcata presented high abundance near the bottom,while spread upward at upwelling stations. CDW resulted in overt gradients of salinity, turbidity and nutritional condition, determining the spatial distribution of phytoplankton species. The restricted upwelling resulted in the upward transport of P. sulcata and exclusion of S. costatum, K. mikimotoi and P. dentatum. The results suggested that CDW and upwelling were of importance in regulating the structure and distribution of phytoplankton assemblage in the CE and the East China Sea.     

An assemblage of mollusks associated with the high latitude scleractinian coral <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alveopora japonica</Emphasis> (Eguchi 1968) in Jeju Island,off the south coast of Korea

Corals reefs and communities support a wide range of flora and fauna. The complete richness and abundance of faunal communities in either coral reefs or communities is not fully understood. This is especially true for high-latitude coral communities. In this work, we carried out an analysis of an Alveopora japonica associated mollusk assemblage, in Jeju Island, Korea. A. japonica is one of the major coral species present in high abundance (88–155 colonies m^-2), with a high recruitment rate (7.8 juvenile corals m^-2 yr^-1) in Jeju Island, and may serve as a habitat for other benthic organisms. In 2012, a total number of 579 A. japonica colonies with sizes ranging between 15.1-346.7 cm² in the surface area were collected from a 1m× 10m quadrat installed at a depth of 10 m at Keumneung, on the northwest coast of Jeju Island. Numerous benthic invertebrates were found to be associated with A. japonica colonies. Twenty-seven bivalves and gastropods were identified, including a boring mytilid, Lithophaga curta, and an arcid, Barbatia stearnsi. A zonalgeographical examination of the distribution ranges of these mollusks revealed a majority of warmer water species. Our observations also showed that A. japonica may be providing a habitat to grazing gastropod, Turbo cornutus, and encrusting Spondylidae and Chamidae bivalves. A. japonica forms a coral carpet with a distinct assemblage of bivalves. It is thought that the presence of these mollusks species in the coral indicates its use as a nursery for juvenile species, a ready food supply of organic detritus, and a refuge from predators.     

Implication of salt marsh foraminiferal assemblages in Suncheon Bay,South Korea

Analyses of the compositions of benthic foraminifera and sediment, observations of tidal level and salinity, and a geographic survey of the tidal salt marsh in Suncheon Bay were conducted to examine the vertical distribution of foraminifera and evaluate their potential use for sea level studies. The salt marsh is composed mainly of fine-grained silty clay sediment and its salinity is below approximately 11 psu. The tidal current flows in the southwest-tonortheast direction with an average velocity of 26.57 cm/s. A total of 33 species of foraminifera (17 agglutinated and 16 calcareoushyaline) belonging to 24 genera was identified. The species diversity (1.1 on average) was relatively low. Dominant species were Ammonia beccarii, Miliammina fusca, Haplophragmoides wilberti, and Jadammina macrescens. Calcareous foraminifera (29.5%) were dominantly represented by the Ammonia beccarii assemblage, which characterized the region between mean tide level and mean low high water (MLHW). Agglutinated species (70.5%) were represented mostly by Miliammina fusca, Miliammina fusca-Haplophragmoides wilberti, and Haplophragmoides wilberti assemblages, which characterized the MLHW–mean high water (MHW), MHW–mean highest high water (MHHW), and MHHW–Approx. highest high water tide levels, respectively. In particular, the Haplophragmoides wilberti assemblage is believed to represent the highest elevation zone of foraminifera in the salt marshes of Suncheon Bay and is considered to be a reliable indicator of sea level as a result of its narrow vertical range.     

东印度洋现生浮游有孔虫

A brief morphometric study of the recent planktonic foraminifera in the eastern Indian Ocean was provided with the taxonomic key to species,synonyms,SEM microphotographs of shells and chamber arrays.By recent classification,currently 20 species representing 13 genera and 6 families(Canderinidae,Heterohelicoidae,Hedbergellidae,Higerigerinoidae,Globigerinoidae,and Globorotaloidae)identified from the planktonic material of the eastern Indian Ocean up to a depth of 200 m.Their distribution in water(0–200 m)also reports on the new range of expansion in the eastern Indian Ocean,with Dentigloborotalia anfracta,Hastigerina pelagica,Streptochilus globigerus,Globigerinella calida,Globigerinella adamsi,Orcadia reidelii,Tenuitella parkerae,Tenuitella compressa,reported for the first time in this study area.In general,only around 50 planktonic species are valid worldwide,more specifically the species,e.g.,H.pelagica,G.calida,G.adamsi,S.globigerus,O.riedeli,T.parkerae,T.compressa,which occur in the eastern Indian Ocean to fill the the paucity of the recent regional taxonomic literature and the problematic identification from the eastern Indian Ocean.This work aims to bridge this gap and help scientists,managers,educators and students to identify plankton foraminifers by using species notes and images.     

Modeling the underwater light field fluctuations in coastal oceanic waters: Validation with experimental data

Modeling of the wave-induced underwater light fluctuations at near-surface depths in coastal oceanic waters is challenging because of the surface roughness and strong anisotropic effects of the light field. In the present work, a simple and computationally efficient radiative transfer model is used for the wind-driven sea surface for simulating underwater light fields such as downwelling irradiance (E_d), upwelling irradiance (E_u), and upwelling radiance (L_u) in a spatial domain. It is an extension of our previous work that essentially combines the air–sea interface of the wind-driven sea surface with transmittance and reflectance along with the diffuse and direct components of the homogenous and inhomogeneous water column. The present model simulates underwater light fields for any possible values of absorption and backscattering coefficients. To assess the performance of the model, the E_d, E_u, and L_u profiles predicted by the model are compared with experimental data from relatively clear and turbid coastal waters. Statistical results show significantly low mean relative differences regardless of the wavelength. Comparison of the simulated and in-situ time series data measured over rough sea surfaces demonstrates that model-observation agreement is good for the present model. The Hydrolight model when implemented with the modified bottom reflectance and phase function provides significantly better results than the original Hydrolight model without consideration of the bottom slope and vertically varying phase function. However, these results are non-spatial and have errors fluctuating at different wavelengths. To further demonstrate the efficiency of the present model, spatial distribution patterns of the underwater light fields are simulated based on the measured data from a coastal station for different solar zenith angles (under sunny condition). Simulated wave-induced fluctuations of the underwater lights fields show a good consistency with in-situ data for a few near-surface depths. The present model also provides a reasonable approximation for simulating wave-induced effects on the downward irradiance field and its anisotropic conditions caused by the surface roughness, wavelength and angle of incidence.     

A Baseline Assessment of Coral Reef in Malacca Straits,Malaysia

Coral reefs along the Malacca Straits (MS) are poorly developed mainly due to turbidity and sedimentation. This study describes the health status and community structure of the corals in Cape Rachado, West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (WCPM), utilizing the Coral Video Transect (CVT) technique. All the survey transects were categorized as ‘fair’ coral conditions (27.39 ± 5.41%–48.56 ± 18.96%) with the reef floor mainly covered by corals and sediment. Twelve families of coral comprised of 25 distinct genera were identified. Coral communities were differentiated into four clusters with each being predominated by Galaxea, Diploastrea, Fungia and Pectinia respectively. Among all, Pectinia is the most spectacular genera and dominated the survey area. Along the MS, Favia, Favites and Porites are commonly found while Porites and Pectinia dominated the reefs. Low coral cover and diversity was recorded in MS as compared to the reefs in the South China Sea (SCS). The most prominent results include changes in the dominant coral from Porites to Pectinia while some species such as Acropora were absent from the study area. Based on the presented data, the reef in the study area was predominantly occupied by sediment and the coral communities were formed by a species with a high tolerance to turbidity and sedimentation.     

Molecular phylogeny of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chondracanthus</Emphasis> (Rhodophyta), focusing on the resurrection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. okamurae</Emphasis> and the description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. cincinnus</Emphasis> sp. nov.

Determining the taxonomic status of the red algal genus Chondracanthus based on morphological characters is challenging due to the similarity and high degree of plasticity of the thallus. Since the taxonomic history of several Chondracanthus species remains unclear, we analyzed the plastid rbcL and mitochondrial COI genes of the specimens from Korea and Japan, in combination with morphological observations, to examine their phylogenetic relationships. Our results confirmed the distinction of C. okamurae, which is separated from C. intermedius, and identified a novel species, C. cincinnus sp. nov. Three species (C. okamurae, C. intermedius and C. cincinnus) formed a monophyletic clade with C. tenellus. C. okamurae is distinguished by linear, narrow, cylindrical to compressed, slightly recurved axes, and a high-intertidal to subtidal distribution. It was collected from Korea and Japan, while C. intermedius was identified from Japan only. A new species, Chondracanthus cincinnus sp. nov., is characterized by linear, compressed, strongly recurved axes, and a low-intertidal to subtidal distiribution. Based on the molecular phylogeny using rbcL and COI data, we herein resurrect C. okamurae as a distinct species and identify C. cincinnus as a new species.     

东印度洋5种缘毛类纤毛虫(钟虫属和聚缩虫)水平分布初次报道

腹壁纤毛虫是一种附着在浮游动物上的原生生物,尤其是附着在桡足类和甲壳类上的。而缘毛虫是可以以自由或寄生的形式在世界各沿海地区和港湾处被发现。本研究首次对东印度洋表层至200 m深海域的缘毛类纤毛虫以及其水平分布展开了研究。根据纤毛虫的形态、纤毛结构和茎的形态等的特征,在2014年4月10日至5月13日东印度洋航次的浮游生物拖网样品中鉴定出了五种富腹纤毛虫,海洋钟形虫Vorticella oceanica、交替聚缩虫Zoothamnium alternans、阿拉聚缩虫Zoothamnium alrasheidi、远洋聚缩虫Zoothamnium pelagicum和海洋聚缩虫Zoothamnium marinum。并通过光显微镜和扫描显微镜拍摄的照片,说明了其形态、尺寸和特征。研究结果表明,海洋钟形虫和远洋聚缩虫的分布与硅藻（如,密聚角毛藻Chaetoceros coarctatus）和桡足类（如,短角长腹剑水蚤Oithona brevicornis）等寄主有关,也包括甲藻（如,三角角藻Ceraitum tripose）周围的一些个体。这些附着纤毛虫的分布在东印度洋海域东南区以海洋钟形虫、远洋聚缩虫和海洋聚缩虫为主,而在孟加拉湾北部则有大量的阿拉聚缩虫。这种分布的变化可能是与寄主的分布有关,如桡足类（短角长腹剑水蚤）和硅藻（密聚角毛藻）的分布影响。     

Waves and diffusion on the sea surface

The frequency spectrum of surface elevations in the presence of wind waves is well known. On this basis, one can estimate the frequency spectrum of vertical velocities in sea-surface waves. Owing to liquid incompressibility, the spectrum of horizontal velocities should have the same frequency dependence. The use of the dispersion equation for waves on the surface of a heavy liquid allows one to obtain to the spatial spectrum of velocities. Therefore, one can estimate the spatial structure function of the velocity field. For short waves and large depths, the structure function increases as r ^1/2, where r is the distance between the points of observations. For long waves and shallow depths h, this increase is proportional to r. The coefficient of turbulent mixing K(r) of pollution spots of size r on the sea surface is now estimated as the product of the spot size and the rms difference of velocities. As a result, depending on r and h, the exponent in the r ⁿ dependence of K(r) may vary between 1.25 and 1.5. This outcome provides an explanation for a scatter in the values of the exponent n, a phenomenon that has been observed by many experimentalists.     

“海参-对虾”混养海水池塘的食物网结构及营养层级研究

The food sources of aquacultured Apostichopus japonicus and the trophic levels of organisms in a sea cucumber(A. japonicus) and prawn(Penaeus japonica) polyculture system in a saltwater pond in Zhuanghe, Liaoning Province were examined using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. Across organisms, δ13C ranged from(–25.47±0.20)‰ to(–16.48±0.17)‰(mean±SD), and δ15N ranged from(4.23±0.49)‰ to(12.44±0.09)‰. The δ13C and δ15N contents of A. japonicus, P. japonica and Fenneropenaeus chinensis were comparatively higher than those of other organisms. Values of δ13C and δ15N revealed that P. japonica, Hemigrapsus sanguineus and Neomysis japonica comprised the largest component of the diet of A. japonicus. The mean trophic level of the organisms in this saltwater pond polyculture system was(2.75±0.08). P. japonica, A. japonicus, F. chinensis,Synechogobius hasta and Neomysis japonica were in the 3rd trophic level(2–3); jellyfish, H. sanguineus and zooplankton were in the 2nd trophic level(1–2); and Enteromorpha prolifera, benthic microalgae, periphyton and suspended matter primarily consisting of phytoplankton, bacteria and humus were in the primary trophic level(0–1).     

Phylogenetic relationship between symbionts of tubeworm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lamellibrachia satsuma</Emphasis> and the sediment microbial community in Kagoshima Bay

Vestimentiferan tubeworms acquire their symbionts through horizontal transmission from the surrounding environment. In the present study, we constructed a 16S rRNA gene clone library to investigate the phylogenetic relationship between diverse microbes in the sediment and symbiotic bacteria in the trophosome of the tubeworm, Lamellibrachia satsuma, from Kagoshima Bay, Japan. Two symbiotic bacterial phylotypes belonging to the classes γ- and ε-Proteobacteria were found from this tubeworm trophosome. They were very closely related to the symbionts of several other marine invertebrates. The most predominant bacteria in the sediment were ε-Proteobacteria. A broad diversity of bacteria belonged to non-proteobacterial phyla such as Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi was observed. The presence of sulfur oxidizers (i.e., ε-Proteobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria) and sulfur reducers (i.e., δ-Proteobacteria) may play a significant role in the sulfur cycle in these habitats and provide multiple sources of nutrition to the cold-seep communities. Closely related clones of ε-Proteobacteria symbiont in the species level and of γ-Proteobacteria symbiont in the genus level were found in the surrounding sediment. The similarity of symbiont clones of L. satsuma with other symbionts and free-living bacteria suggests the possibility of opportunistic symbiosis in ε-Proteobacteria and the co-evolution of γ-Proteobacteria having occurred after symbiosis with the tubeworms.     

Features of the atmospheric boundary layer block for three versions of the WAM wind wave model

The estimated characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer, obtained by the simulation of wind wave fields using three versions of the WAM numerical model are compared with the well-known empirical dependences of drag coefficient C _d on wind speed U ₁₀ and wave age A, as well as with the dependence of dimensionless roughness height z _n on inverse wave age u*/с р. Calculations carried out for several years in the areas of the Pacific and Indian oceans, based on the ERA-interim and CFSR wind reanalyses have shown good agreement between the model and empirical dependences C _d (U ₁₀) and C _d (A). The range of estimated variability for z _n (u*/с _р ) has been found to be significantly less than empirical. It has been also found that estimated values of wind speed U _10W (t) are overestimated from 5 to 10% in all versions of WAM models compared with the input wind reanalysis U _10R (t) at the moments of appearance maximum values of wind U _10R (t). The reasons for the established features of the WAM model and their dependence on the model version are discussed.     

Morphological identification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alexandrium</Emphasis> species (Dinophyceae) from Jinhae-Masan Bay,Korea

Outbreaks of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and dense blooms caused by Alexandrium species in Jinhae-Masan Bay, Korea have been nearly annual events for many years. However, excluding some Alexandrium species responsible for PSP, there are no critical reports on the morphology of Alexandrium species in this bay. To identify the Alexandrium species based on detailed morphological features, vegetative cells collected water samples and established by the incubation of resting cysts isolated from sediment trap samples were analyzed. Four species of Alexandrium were identified: Alexandrium affine, A. fundyense, A. catenella, and A. insuetum. Morphological features of these species were basically consistent with those outlined in previous studies. However, the ventral pore and the connecting pore on the sulcal plate, which have been accepted as diagnostic characteristics for the identification of A. fundyense and A. catenella, need to be reevaluated, indicating that useful morphological features for identifying these two species should be recommended to avoid confusion in the classification of species in genus Alexandrium.     

Retrieval of total ozone in the mesosphere with a new model of electronic-vibrational kinetics of O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and O<Subscript>2</Subscript> photolysis products

The paper presents a new model of electronic-vibrational kinetics of the products of ozone and molecular oxygen photodissociation in the terrestrial middle atmosphere. The model includes 45 excited states of the oxygen molecules O₂(b ¹, Σ _g ⁺ ,v= 0−2), O₂ (a ¹Δ _g , v= 0−5), and O₂(X ³Σ _g ⁻ , v= 1−35) and of the metastable atom O (¹ D) and over 100 aeronomic reactions. The model takes into account the dependence of quantum yields of the production of O₂(a ¹Δ _g , v= 0−5) in a singlet channel of ozone photolysis in the Hartley band on the wavelength of photolytic emission. Taking account of the electronic-vibrational kinetics is important in retrieval of the vertical profiles of ozone concentration from measured intensities of the Atm and IR Atm emissions of the oxygen bands above 65 km and leads to an increase in the ozone concentration retrieved from the 1.27-μm emission, in contrast to the previous model of pure electronic kinetics. Sensitivity analysis of the new model is made for variations in the concentrations of atmospheric constituents ([O₂], [N₂], [O(³P)], [O₃], [CO₂]), the gas temperature, rate constants of the reactions, and quantum yields of the reaction products. A group of reactions that most strongly affect the uncertainty of ozone retrieval from measured intensities of atmospheric emissions of molecular oxygen O₂(b ¹Σ _g ⁺ , v) and O₂(a ¹Δ _g , v) has been determined. Original Russian Text ? V.A. Yankovsky, V.A. Kuleshov, R.O. Manuilova, A.O. Semenov, 2007, published in Izvestiya AN. Fizika Atmosfery i Okeana, 2007, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 557–569.     

High mortality and poor growth of green mussels, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perna viridis</Emphasis>, in high chlorophyll-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> environment

The current study was carried out from May 2014 to April 2015 to estimate the stock status of P. viridis in Marudu Bay. The gonad development was monitored by histological examination, while the population parameters including asymptotic length (L_∞), growth coefficient (K), mortality rate (Z, F and M), exploitation level (E) and recruitment of P. viridis were estimated using the lengthfrequency data. Results of the current study demonstrated that P. viridis in Marudu Bay spawned throughout the year with two major peaks, one in April to May and another one in October to December. The recruitment pattern was continuous with the peak in May to June 2014, which corresponded to the first spawning peak in April. However, no significant recruitment was observed from the second spawning peak due to the difference in spawning timing between male and female populations. The estimated asymptotic length (L_∞), growth coefficient (K), total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M), fishing mortality (F) and growth performance (ф) of P. viridis in Marudu Bay were estimate to be 117 mm, 0.97 yr^-1, 4.39 yr^-1, 1.23 yr^-1, 3.16 yr^-1 and 4.123, respectively. The exponent b of the lengthweight relationship was 2.4 and exploitation level (E) was 0.72. The high mortality, low condition indices and negative allometric of P. viridis in Marudu Bay is caused by a lack of suitable food in the surrounding water.     

Effects of temperature on growth,photophysiology, Rubisco gene expression in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prorocentrum donghaiense</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Karenia mikimotoi</Emphasis>

To explore the effects of temperature changes on dinoflagellate bloom succession in the coastal waters of the East China Sea, changes in the growth, photophysiology, and Rubisco gene expression of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia mikimotoi, two harmful algal species, were investigated at different temperatures (16 to 28°C). The maximal specific growth rate and the maximal mRNA expression of Rubisco gene in P. donghaiense and K. mikimotoi occurred at 20 and 24°C, respectively. The photosynthetic activity of P. donghaiense was generally stable, but K. mikimotoi photosynthesis increased when temperatures rose from 16 to 28°C. The effective photochemical efficiency (F _q ^′ /F _m ^′ ) and the maximal relative electron transfer rate (rETR_max) of K. mikimotoi increased significantly with increasing temperature, and the lowest and highest values occurred at 16 and 28°C, respectively. It seems that P. donghaiense has higher photosynthetic capacity than K. mikimotoi due to its higher F _q ^′ /F _m ^′ , rETR_max, and photosynthetic efficiency (α). However, K. mikimotoi has a higher growth rate than P. donghaiense. These results suggest that the photosynthetic activity and genetic responses of dinoflagellates are species-dependent. It is likely that temperature changes affect species composition during blooms, leading to the observed patterns of bloom succession.     

Species Composition and Distribution of Sibling Species of the Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chironomus</Emphasis> Meigen (Diptera: Chironomidae) in the Curonian and Vistula Lagoons,Baltic Sea

The species compositions of the genus Chironomus in the Curonian and Vistula lagoons are very similar, represented by Ch. plumosus and Ch. balatonicus. In the Curonian Lagoon, in addition to these two species, Ch. muratensis and the first-generation interspecific hybrid Ch. muratensis × Ch. plumosus are also found. In this lagoon, Ch. plumosus occurs most frequently (84%); Ch. balatonicus is considered a subdominant species (24%). In the Vistula Lagoon, on the contrary, the high frequency of occurrence is typical of Ch. balatonicus (89%); for Ch. plumosus, it reaches only 11%. The Ch. plumosus population occupies most of the Curonian Lagoon; Ch. balatonicus is present only in its northern part, from the village of Juodkrante to the city of Klaipeda. In the Vistula Lagoon, Ch. balatonicus is distributed over almost its entire area, while Ch. plumosus is found locally, only near the mouth of the Nogat River. The distribution of the sibling species in the lagoons is determined by the salinity gradient.