Structure and Quaternary tectonic history of the Woodlark triple junction region,Solomon Islands

The Woodlark triple junction region, a topographically and structurally complex triangular area of Quaternary age, lies east of Simbo Ridge and southwest of the New Georgia island group, Solomon Islands, at the junction of the Pacific, Australian and Solomon Sea plates. SeaMARC II side-scan imagery and bathymetry in conjunction with seismic reflection profiles, 3.5 kHz records, and petrologic, magnetic and gravity data show that the active Woodlark spreading centre does not extend into this region.South of the triple junction region, the Woodlark spreading centre reoriented at about 2 Ma into a series of short ESE-trending segments. These segments continued to spread until about 0.5 Ma, when the lithosphere on their northern sides was transferred from the Solomon Sea plate to the Australian plate. Simultaneously the Simbo transform propagated northwards along the western side of the transferred lithosphere, forming a trench-trench-transform triple junction located NNW of Simbo island and a new leaky plate boundary segment that built Simbo Ridge.As the Pacific plate approached, the area east of northern Simbo Ridge was tilted northwards, sheared by dominantly right-lateral faults, elevated, and intruded by arc-related magmas to form Ghizo Ridge. Calc-alkalic magmas sourced beneath the Pacific plate built three large strato-volcanic edifices on the subducting Australian plate: Simbo at the northern end of Simbo Ridge, and Kana Keoki and Coleman seamounts on an extensional fracture adjoining the SE end of Ghizo Ridge.A sediment drape, supplied in part from Simbo and Kana Keoki volcanoes, mantles the east-facing slopes of northern Simbo and Ghizo Ridges and passes distally into sediment ponded in the trench adjoining the Pacific plate. As a consequence of plate convergence, parts of the sediment drape and pond are presently being deformed, and faults are dismembering Kana Keoki and Coleman seamounts.The Woodlark system differs from other modern or Tertiary ridge subduction systems, which show wide variation in character and behaviour. Existing models describing the consequences of ridge subduction are likely to be predictive in only a general way, and deduced rules for the behaviour of oceanic lithosphere in ridge subduction systems may not be generally applicable.     

南太平洋所罗门群岛海域黄鳍金枪鱼繁殖生物学研究

根据2012年9~12月所罗门群岛海域采集的353尾黄鳍金枪鱼Thunnus albacares样本,分析渔获物个体组成、性别比例、性成熟率和性腺指数等繁殖生物学参数。结果表明,捕获个体中包含大小两个群体;雌性群体个体规格明显小于雄性(p0.001)。春夏季9~12月雌、雄总体性别比为0.67︰1,显著偏离1︰1(p0.01);但性别比例与调查月份和个体大小密切相关,从9月到12月逐渐接近,至12月达到1︰1(p0.05)。性别比例随叉长增长逐步降低,叉长大于110cm个体中以雄性为主(p0.05),雌性比例与叉长呈现线性负相关关系,相关系数为-0.90,(p0.01)。雌、雄个体性成熟率和性腺指数在春末夏初间逐步增长,至11~12月达到最高;Ⅴ~Ⅵ期产卵个体比例增加,这表明所罗门群岛海域黄鳍金枪鱼春夏季存在产卵群体,从10月开始出现产卵个体,调查期间12月产卵个体比例达到相对最高,并且性腺指数与叉长呈现正相关关系;更一步的分析表明,雌、雄个体初次性成熟叉长分别为97.4cm和103.7cm。对该海域黄鳍金枪鱼繁殖生物学的研究有助于了解该种群资源状况,对渔业资源评估具有重要意义。     

Geometry and structure of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament (SW Pacific)

Swath bathymetric, sonar imagery and seismic reflection data collected during the SOPACMAPS cruise Leg 3 over segments of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament and adjacent areas provide new insights on the geometry and the stuctural evolution of this seismically inactive lineament. The Vitiaz Trench Lineament, although largely unknown, is one of the most important tectonic feature in the SW Pacific because it separates the Cretaceous crust of the Pacific Plate to the north from the Cenozoic lithosphere of the North Fiji and Lau Basins to the south. The lineament is considered to be the convergent plate boundary between the Pacific and Australian Plates during midde to late Tertiary time when the Vitiaz Arc was a continuous east-facing are from the Tonga to the Solomon Islands before the development of the North Fiji and Lau Basins. Progressive reversal and cessation of subduction from west to east in the Late Miocene-Lower Plioene have been also proposed. However, precise structures and age of initiation and cessation of deformation along the Vitiaz Trench Lineament are unknown.The lineament consists of the Vitiaz Trench and three discontinuous and elongated troughs (Alexa, Rotuma and Horne Troughs) which connect the Vitiaz Trench to the northern end of the Tonga Trench. Our survey of the Alexa and Rotuma Troughs reveals that the lineament is composed of a series of WNW-ESE and ENE-WSW trending segments in front of large volcanic massifs belonging to the Melanesian Border Plateau, a WNW trending volcanic belt of seamounts and ridges on Pacific crust. The Plateau and Pacific plate lying immediately north of the lineament have been affected by intense normal faulting, collapse, and volcanism as evidenced by a series of tilted blocks, grabens, horsts and ridges trending N 120° to N100° and N60°–70°. This tectonism includes several normal faulting episodes, the latest being very recent and possibly still active. The trend of the fault scarps and volcanic ridges parallels the different segments of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament, suggesting that tectonics and volcanism are related to crustal motion along the lineament.Although the superficial observed features are mainly extensional, they are interpreted as the result of shortening along the Vitiaz Trench Lineament. The fabric north of the lineament would result from subduction-induced normal faulting on the outer wall of the trench and the zig-zag geometry of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament might be due to collision of large volcanic edifices of the Melanesian Border Plateau with the trench, provoking trench segmentation along left-lateral ENE-WSW trending transform zones. The newly acquired bathymetric and seismic data suggest that crustal motion (tectonism associated with volcanism) continued up to recent times along the Vitiaz Trench Lineament and was active during the development of the North Fiji Basin.     

Comparison of volcanic rifts on La Palma and El Hierro, Canary Islands and the Island of Hawaii

The meso-scale (km) morphology of the well-studied volcanic rift zones on the Island of Hawaii is compared to the morphology of the lesser known rift zones of La Palma and El Hierro, Canary Islands. We find that there are both differences and similarities in their morphologic characteristics. In general, the rift zones on La Palma and El Hierro are shorter (a few tens of km in length) than those on Hawaii (ranging up to >100 km in length), perhaps reflecting both magma supply and composition. Many of the rift zones on Hawaii have well defined axial zones, both on-and offshore. In contrast, the rift zones on La Palma and El Hierro display various geometries ranging from linear ridges having smooth to irregular crests to structures with a broad fan-like morphology in plan view. The pronounced fanning may be a reflection of: 1) the stress field within the rift being insufficient to trap dikes within a narrow region, 2) dike injection and volcanism shifting laterally through time, 3) volcanoes building nearly one atop of another in the Canary Islands, superimposing the stress field of one structure on the other and thus yielding a more complex distribution of gravitational stresses, and 4) low rate of magma supply producing low magma pressures and thus randomly oriented dike injections. Irregularities and curvature along the axes of the rifts on La Palma and El Hierro may be a reflection of differences in the rate of magma production. Unlike the volcanoes on the Island of Hawaii there may be insufficient volumes of lavas erupted on La Palma and El Hierro to smooth out irregularities. The superposition of rifts from different volcanoes may also add to topographic irregularities in the Canary Islands, especially if eruption rates are low.     

Economic impact of climate change and climate change adaptation strategies for fisheries sector in Solomon Islands: Implication for food security

Fisheries resources play a major role in the national economy and to food security in Solomon Islands. Climate change is likely to have a substantial impact on fish production that can lead to a fragile food security condition in the country. This paper assesses the potential economic impact of three important climate change adaptation strategies – natural resource management (NRM), fish aggregating devices (FAD) and aquaculture – in Solomon Islands. The study used a country-specific partial equilibrium economic model with six fish sub-sectors and analyzed potential impact of alternate climate change adaptation strategies for 2035 and 2050. The modeling and scenario analyses show that total fish demand is likely to surpass domestic fish production in 2050. Without appropriate climate adaptation strategy, per capita consumption of domestically produced fish will decline, which has serious negative food security implications for the country. The economic (welfare) analysis conducted based on modeling results show that the national level net economic gains due to climate change adaptation strategies are substantial. If cost and topographic conditions permit, low-cost inshore FADs are expected to be a good mechanism for augmenting domestic supplies of tuna and similar species in Solomon Islands.     

Detailed Bathymetric Mapping of the Eastern Offshore Slope of Lipari Island (Tyrrhenian Sea): Insight into the Dark Side of an Arc Volcano

A detailed multibeam coverage of the eastern offshore of Lipari Island(Aeolian arc) has permitted its subdivision into two sectors with differentmorphobathymetric features. In the northern one, numerous, large, previouslyundetected rhyolitic lava flows have been identified. In the southern one, aconical pyroclastic and epiclastic edifice built on top of afan-shaped lava field has been discovered. Since some of theseoffshore features have no analogues on land, their recognition has furnishednew information about the volcanic processes that built the eastern portionof Lipari Island. In particular, the finding of a huge volume of offshorerhyolitic lava flows, largely exceeding the amount of this kind of lavas onland, shows that the contribution of rhyolitic products in the building ofthe Lipari apparatus has been up to now underestimated. More generally, thecomparison between the land and the offshore units of Lipari volcanicapparatus indicates that a better investigation of the submarine portions ofvolcanic islands can reveal new, unforeseen aspects and greatly enhance ourknowledge about their evolution.     

Coral assemblages and reef growth in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Western Pacific Ocean)

Reef development varies considerably around the high, raised‐limestone islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Here we examine the modern assemblages at 30 sites for coral composition, colony density, colony size, and fidelity. We defined four reef types and hypothesize the presence of environmentally driven ecological stasis, whereby the environment continuously selects for coral species membership, defines colony sizes, and over time creates the noted reef types. Our results show that constructional spur‐and‐groove reefs supported significantly larger coral‐colony sizes and higher coral species richness compared with high‐relief interstitial framework, low‐relief incipient, and non‐constructional coral assemblages. Non‐constructional reefs supported much smaller coral colony sizes, despite similar population densities, and were consistently found in association with high wave exposure. The distinct coral assemblages found on interstitial framework and low‐relief incipient reefs were not affiliated with any wave exposure regime, but were located adjacent to large watersheds and on islands with unique geological history. These assemblages were nested within the spur‐and‐groove species pool. Overall, modern coral cover was well predicted by bathymetric slope and watershed size, while species richness was additively influenced by two proxies of pollution, suggesting the latter is better suited for establishing management targets. In contrast with previous studies that suggested modern assemblages were biologically controlled in the CNMI, we show reef assemblages and reef development are highly influenced by long‐term environmental forcing.     

Recent (post-1930) changes in the extent of subtidal seagrass (Zostera muelleri) beds of the eastern Bay of Islands,New Zealand

The surface areas of 12 subtidal seagrass Zostera muelleri beds at the islands and adjacent mainland shores of the eastern Bay of Islands (35° 12′ S, 174° 10′ E), New Zealand were estimated from aerial images. It appears that little subtidal seagrass existed until after the early-1950s, so significant beds here may be a relatively recent biome. Possible explanations for recent emergence of subtidal seagrass include that debilitating periods of turbid water and pulses of sedimentation associated with the land clearances of the late 1800s had worked through the marine ecosystem. An overall peak in seagrass-cover in the 1960s to 1980s was followed by declines in several beds in the 1990s to 2000s, with recovery since. The temporal presence of seagrass was well-correlated among the three mainland beds, and moderately well among the south-facing beds on the islands, consistent with mechanisms driving seagrass establishment and persistence operating at reasonably broad scales.     

Swath mapping of the seafloor and its application to deep-bottom fisheries in New Caledonia

A bottom longline fishery operated in the EEZ of New Caledonia from 1988 to 1991. Fishing focused on five seamounts with summits at depths ranging from 500 to 750 m. The target species was alfonsino, Beryx splendens. As the soundings available from marine charts were not detailed enough, the fishing masters had to make their own charts in order to set the gear in the right location. A series of 11 scientific cruises devoted to a research program on alfonsino was launched in late 1991. During the first scientific cruises, several days were spent mapping the seabed to improve the existing knowledge of the topography of three seamounts by coupling the EDO echosounder depth measurements to the GPS positions. As this procedure is slow, it is applicable to limited areas or, if a wider grid is used, to large zones to locate major structures such as ridges and seamounts. The emergence of the multibeam echosounder has greatly improved seabed mapping performance. This tool seems to fit the requirement of exploratory deep-bottom fishing particularly well, as it covers large areas while providing details of the bottom. The EM 12 was used to obtain bathymetry and imagery of the SE portion of the EEZ of New Caledonia, covering an approximate area of 70,000 km² in two weeks. For depths ranging from 500 to 4,500 m, the results were impressive. They confirmed the known major features and provided greater topographical detail, revealing fine unknown structures. They also provided information on the type of substratum, information which might influence the fishing strategy. Finally, they made it possible to obtain an accurate estimate of the exploitable area which in turn led to new stock estimates.     

Morphostructure and evolution of the central and Eastern Bransfield Basins (NW Antarctic Peninsula)

The Bransfield Basin is a narrow and elongated active rift basin located between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. The Bransfield Basin is composed of three small basins, and two of them, the Central and Eastern Bransfield Basins, were surveyed during a recent cruise (GEBRA 93). The full swath bathymetry coverage as well as the single-channel seismic reflection and magnetic profiles that have been acquired, help us to better understand the morphostructure and recent evolution of the Bransfield Basin. Six large volcanic edifices aligned with the basin axis stick out of the sedimented seafloor of the Central Bransfield Basin. In contrast, the Eastern Bransfield Basin is characterised by four deep troughs displaying a rhombic-shape, and small, scattered volcanic cones located in the southwestern half basin. Seamount volcanism plays an important role in the formation of new crust in the Bransfield Basin. The larger seamounts of the Central Bransfield Basin are located at the intersection of the two main orthogonal sets of faults (longitudinal ENE-WSW and transversal NNW-SSE). Morphological analysis of the seamounts indicates a multi-staged volcano-tectonic construction. The distribution and shape of these edifices suggests that both volcanism and extension are concentrated at the same preferential areas through time. This might be related to the fracturation style of the continental crust. The Central and Eastern Bransfield Basins are very different in morphostructure, volcanism, and sedimentary cover. The Central Bransfield Basin shows evidence of NW-SE extensional faulting and focused active MORB-volcanism interpreted as result of incipient seafloor spreading. The Eastern Bransfield Basin is still in a rifting stage, mainly dominated by a NW-SE extension and some left-lateral strike-slip component probably related to the South Scotia Ridge.J. Acosta, J. Baraza, P. Bart, A.M. Calafat, J.L. Casamor, M. De Batist, G. Ercilla, G. Francés, E. Ramos, J.L. Sanz, and A. Tassone.     

Geology of Macdonald Seamount region,Austral Islands: Recent hotspot volcanism in the south Pacific

The southeastern extension of the Austral Islands volcanic chain terminates near 29°S, 140°W at the active Macdonald Seamount. The hotspot region near Macdonald consists of at least five other volcanic edifices each more than 500 m high, included in an area about 50–100 km in diameter. On the basis of the sea-floor topography, the southeastern limit of the hotspot area is located about 20 km east of the base of Macdonald, where it is defined by the 3950 m isobath. At the edge of the hotspot area, there is a marked deepening of the seafloor from c.3900 m down to 4000–4300 m. The deeper sea-floor is faulted and heavily sedimented. The Macdonald volcano itself stands 3760 m above the surrounding seafloor, and has a basal diameter of 45 km. Its summit in January 1987 was 39 m below sea level, and it seems likely that Macdonald will emerge at the surface in the near future.Recent (March and November 1986) phreatic explosions on Macdonald Seamount erupted fragments of ultramafic and mafic plutonic blocks together with basic lapilli (volcaniclastic sand). The plutonic blocks have been variably altered and metamorphosed, and in some cases show signs of mineralisation (disseminated sulphides). The blocks presumably come from deeper levels in the volcanic system. The volcanics so far dredged from Macdonald consist of olivine and clinopyroxene cumulus-enriched basalts, evolved basalts, and mugearite. On the basis of incompatible element variations, simple crystal fractionation seems to be controlling the chemical evolution of Macdonald magmas.     

Distribution of the plankton assemblages during the winter and summer along the southern coast of the Kerkennah Islands (Tunisia,Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

We studied the distribution of microphytoplankton, ciliates and mesozooplankton in relation to environmental factors in the coastal waters around the Kerkennah Islands. Diatom species were more abundant in winter, representing 74% of the total microphytoplankton abundance, whereas dinoflagellate abundance was higher in summer (58%). Naked ciliates dominated during the winter (73%) and loricate ciliates dominated during the summer (67%). Copepods were the most abundant mesozooplankton group present during the entire period of study, comprising 93%–98% of the total mesozooplankton community. The results indicate that (i) species distribution differed significantly between winter and summer, (ii) environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and nutrients influenced plankton assemblages; and (iii) the highest abundance of several pollution indicator species was due to direct exposure to the polluted coast of Sfax and the effect of tidal asymmetries generating nutrient‐rich inputs from the city.     

北麂列岛岩相潮间带蔓足类的种类及数量分布

根据 1 997年 7月至 1 998年 4月在浙江北麂列岛岩相潮间带采集的样品 ,共鉴定出蔓足类 9种 ,隶属于 5科 7属 ,以东、南海及日本海南部的暖水性种占优势。描述了蔓足类的种类组成、数量分布和季节变化 ,讨论了盐度、潮区和浪击作用对岩相潮间带蔓足类分布的影响。     

基于海岛生态指数的2019年海岛生态状况评价及影响因素分析

海岛是我国社会经济发展的重要战略空间,也是生态安全的重要屏障,评价海岛的生态状况是海岛合理利用和保护管理的基础。文章选取77个海岛为研究对象,根据海岛生态指数评价方法,对2019年各海岛生态状况进行评价。结果表明:评价海岛以生态状况优良海岛为主,乡镇级有居民海岛和无居民海岛生态状况显著好于村级有居民海岛,渤黄海区和东海区海岛生态指数分布相似,优良海岛比例高于南海区海岛。植被覆盖率、自然岸线保有率和污水处理率是影响海岛2019年生态状况的主要因素。重视和加强村级有居民海岛的生态保护与建设投入力度,合理利用海岛资源,优化保护与开发空间布局,尽可能地保留自然岸线,提高海岛污水处理能力,将有助于改善海岛生态状况,推动实现海岛的可持续发展。     

西沙石岛末次冰期风成沉积序列新划分及其旋回特征

西沙石岛的风成碳酸盐岩是东亚季风末次冰期的产物,以砂丘与古土壤二元旋回的形式记录了东亚季风气候的干湿变化。利用西石2井钻井岩芯资料结合石岛野外地质剖面的详细考察,对石岛风成沉积序列进行了重新的地层划分,将石岛风成沉积分为三层砂丘与两层古土壤的沉积组合。通过对测年数据及东亚季风末次冰期气候变化特征的分析,认为石岛末次冰期风成沙丘与古土壤记录与黄土高原L1黄土的5个次级气候阶段一一对应,都是对东亚季风末次冰期气候背景下,气候干、湿变化在岁差尺度的沉积响应,是具有稳定周期的气候旋回。     

西沙赵述岛海域珊瑚礁生态修复效果的初步评估

珊瑚恢复是一个协助退化、受损的珊瑚礁生态系统恢复的过程.近10 a来,西沙珊瑚礁生态系统不断退化,至2009年珊瑚覆盖率已下降至不足10%.针对西沙群岛珊瑚礁生态系统的退化状况,2011年12月于西沙赵述岛海域投放人工礁基并开展珊瑚移植实验,比较了人工修复区和自然恢复区1a后的修复效果.结果显示,投放礁基且进行珊瑚移植的区域,移植珊瑚的存活率不到10%;投放礁基但未进行珊瑚移植的区域,珊瑚补充量高达6~7 ind/m2;自然恢复区其珊瑚覆盖率提高了19.4%.依据珊瑚礁生态修复效果评估方法,人工修复且进行移植珊瑚的区域的生物修复权重值为27.5,人工修复但未移植珊瑚区及自然恢复区的生物修复权重值为39.3,珊瑚修复生物指标为亚健康.我们的结果表明,在健康、有良好珊瑚幼虫补充的珊瑚礁生态系统中,珊瑚礁群落可以自行恢复,其恢复只是一个时间的问题;而在缺少珊瑚幼虫附着基底的区域,通过人为增加一些附着基底,可加速其恢复进程.     

Participatory artisanal fisheries management in islands: Application to the Canary Islands (Spain)

Socio-economic development of small-island fishing communities is greatly dependent on local coastal and marine resources. However, illegal fishing and aggressive practices in insular ecosystems lead to over-exploitation and environmental deterioration. Moreover, a lack of scientific data increases uncertainty and prevents the adequate monitoring of marine resources. This paper focuses on the integration of local fishing communities into decision-making processes with the aim of promoting artisanal fishing on the Island of Tenerife (the Canary Islands), as a way to preserve the marine ecosystem and socio-economic development of traditional cofradias (fishers' organisations). A qualitative methodological framework, based on participatory problem-solution trees and focus groups, was used to identify the main factors impeding the sustainable development of the artisanal fishing sector on the island and to elaborate collective proposals with policy implications. The fishing community involved identified four main issues that are maintaining an unsustainable island fishery: 1) Over-exploitation; 2) Poor self-management of cofradias and commercialisation problems; 3) Fisher individualism and low co-management strategies, and 4) Illegal fishing increase vs. artisanal fishing decline. Results show the required policy enhancements to tackle them and the need to adapt regulations to the local situation.     

南极夏季南设德兰群岛东部海域南极大磷虾的摄食策略

Euphausia superba is a key species in the Southern Ocean that serves as a link between primary production and higher trophic levels. To investigate the feeding strategies of E. superba from the eastern South Shetland Islands,fatty acid biomarkers, stable isotope signatures, and an incubation experiment were conducted. The results of the incubation experiment proved that adult E. superba mainly fed on 2–20 μm particles, demonstrating the importance of nanoplankton in their diet. Moreover, significant positive relationships between δ15 N and body size demonstrated that size-related dietary shifts were present in E. superba. Evidence from principal component analysis and the C16:1ω7/C18:4ω3 ratio showed that juveniles preferentially fed on dinoflagellates and adults were more likely to feed on diatoms. Fatty acid profiles in adult E. superba roughly mirrored the different trophic conditions and feeding strategies between stations. Adult E. superba at Stas D2-07, D5-07, DA-01 and DA-02 exhibited elevated levels of C16:1ω7, C18:4ω3, C18:1ω9 and C18:1ω9/C18:1ω7, indicating higher levels of feeding on both phytoplankton and higher trophic diets. In contrast, adult E. superba at Stas D1-03 and D1-04 were characterized by high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ratios and low levels of C16:1ω7,C18:1ω7, C18:4ω3, C18:1ω9 and total fatty acids. We inferred that adult krill at Stas D1-03 and D1-04 still suffered from difficult dietary conditions after overwintering. The different dietary conditions between stations suggest a highly plastic feeding strategy of E. superba in the eastern South Shetland Islands.     

舟山群岛东侧海域蟹类群落结构及其与环境因子的关系

根据2018年4月（春季）和10月（秋季）在舟山群岛东侧海域（29°10′25.54"～30°45′00"N,122°53′3.88"～124°48′28.31"E）开展的渔业资源底拖网调查所获得的蟹类数据,研究了该海域蟹类资源的种类组成、优势种、生物多样性等群落结构特征,同时分析了蟹类数量分布及其群落结构与温、盐等环境因子之间的关系。结果表明,调查海域春、秋季蟹类种类共有40种,隶属于12科,23属;其中,春季优势种为双斑鲟（Charybdis bimaculata）,秋季优势种为双斑鲟和三疣梭子蟹（Portunus trituberculatus）,均为广温、广盐性种类;秋季丰富度指数（D）及Shannon-Wiener多样性指数（H'）高于春季,而Pielou均匀度指数（J'）则相差不大;独立样本T检验方法显示,春、秋两季渔获量之间存在显著性差异（p<0.01）;根据聚类分析与非度量多维标度排序分析,春、秋季蟹类均可划分为4个组群,SIMPER分析结果显示,秋季群落相似性大于春季;典范对应分析结果表明,底层水温和表层盐度是影响调查海域蟹类群落结构及数量分布的主要环境因子。