Biomarker records of phytoplankton productivity and community structure changes in the Central Yellow Sea mud area during the Mid-late Holocene

The Yellow Sea (YS) environmental and ecological changes during the Holocene are driven by the interactions between the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC), the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM) and the Kuroshio Current (KC). We report marine biomarker records of brassicasterol, dinosterol and C37 alkenones in core ZY1 and core ZY2 from the South Yellow Sea (SYS) to reconstruct the spatial/temporal variations and possible mechanisms of phytoplankton primary productivity and community structure changes during the Mid-late Holocene. The contents of the corresponding biomarkers in the two cores are similar, and they also reveal broadly similar temporal trends. From 6 kyr to 3 kyr, the biomarker contents in the two cores were relatively low with small oscillations, followed by a distinct increase at about 3 kyr indicating productivity increases caused by a stronger EAWM. The alkenone/brassicasterol ratio (A/B) is used as a community structure proxy, which also showed higher values in both cores since 3 kyr, indicating increased haptophyte contribution to total productivity. It is proposed that the YS community structure has been mainly influenced by the YSWC, with stronger YSWC influences causing an increase in haptophyte contribution since 3 kyr. Some differences of the biomarker records between ZY2 and ZY1 suggest spatial variations in response to YSWC and KC forcing. When the KC was intensified during the periods of 6–4.2 kyr and 1.7–0 kyr, the YSWC extended eastward, exerting more influence on core ZY1. On the other hand, when the KC weakened during 4.2–1.7 kyr, the YSWC extended westward, exerting more influence on the ZY2.     

Responses of primary productivity to current and climate changes in the mud area to the southwest of Cheju Island during the past 800 years

The biogenic silica (BSi), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and grain size were analyzed with a gravity core (3250-6) collected from the mud area in the north East China Sea. The average deposition rate of the upper core was about 0.078 cm yr^?1 based on the results of ²¹⁰Pb_ex. The mean grain size increased with depth in general. The frequency distribution of grain size showed that two marked changes of deposition environment occurred at 30 cm and 50 cm depths (about 1550 AD and 1300 AD, respectively). The variations of BSi and TOC indicated two distinct major periods of primary productivity over the past 800 years: a stage of low primary productivity corresponding to weak upwelling and low nutrient input below 30 cm depth (about 1200–1550 AD), and a stage of high primary productivity with strong currents and upwelling above 30 cm depth (about 1550–1950 AD). The stage with high primary productive appeared to be due to the northward-expanded muddy area caused by strong Asian Winter Monsoon and enhanced Yellow Sea Warm Current in winter. In conclusion, the BSi and TOC in the muddy sediments, the symbols of marine primary productivity, can be then used to investigate the evolution history of currents and relative climate change in the offshore areas.     

Biomarker evidence for paleoenvironmental changes in the southern Yellow Sea over the last 8200 years

Previous studies have indicated that the Yellow Sea underwent significant environmental changes during the Holocene, but many questions remain concerning the timing of the establishment of the modern circulation system, which would have major implications for the Yellow Sea ecosystem and carbon cycle. In this study, marine and terrestrial biomarkers were analyzed in Core YE-2 from a muddy area in the southern Yellow Sea to reconstruct Holocene environmental and phytoplankton community change. The content of three individual marine phytoplankton biomarkers (alkenones, brassicasterol and dinosterol) all display a similar trend, and their total contents during the early Holocene (362 ng/g) were lower than those during the mid-late Holocene (991 ng/g). On the other hand, the contents of terrestrial biomarkers (C27+C29+C31n-alkanes) during the early Holocene (1 661 ng/g) were about three times higher than those during the mid-late Holocene (499 ng/g). Our biomarker results suggest that the modern circulation system of the Yellow Sea was established by 5-6 ka, and resulted in higher marine productivity and lower terrestrial organic matter inputs. Biomarker ratios were used to estimate shifts in phytoplankton community structure in response to mid-Holocene (5-6 ka) environmental changes in the Yellow Sea, revealing a transition from a dinoflagellate-diatom dominant community structure during the early Holocene to a coccolithophore-dominant community structure during the mid-late Holocene.     

Kuroshio intrusion drives the Trichodesmium assemblage and shapes the phytoplankton community during spring in the East China Sea

To understand the influence of Kuroshio intrusion on the phytoplankton community,a field investigation was conducted in spring 2017 in the East China Sea(ECS),and 130 seawater samples were collected and analyzed.Trichodesmium comprised the highest cell abundance contributing about 66%of the total phytoplankton followed by diatoms(17%) and dinoflagellates(16%).The dominance of the Kuroshio Waters(KW) and the Taiwan Warm Currents(TWC) were higher than the Coastal Waters(CW).The vertical distribution of physicochemical parameters depicted the intrusion of KW at the bottom layer,but it failed to reach the surface as strong upwelling was not initiated.Therefore,the dissolved inorganic phosphate(DIP) concentrations and P/N ratios were the lowest in the CW and the upper water layers,which limited the diatom growth in this area.Besides,the dinoflagellates cell abundance was also lower except in the surface and CW,though they comprised the maximum richness of species among the phytoplankton community.However,the unique characteristics such as diazotrophy and gas vacuoles of Trichodesmium made the situation advantageous,and they comprised the maximum cell abundance in this area especially in KW and the TWC.Temperature,DIP and P/N ratios appeared to be the major environmental drivers for Trichodesmium proliferation in the ECS during the study period.     

Sediment records of environmental changes in the south end of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud area during the past 100 years

Previous studies carried out in the East China Sea （ECS） mud area focused on long-term environmental changes in sedimentary records during the Holoeene, especially during the mid-Holocene high-stand water levels period. These results indicate that sensitive grain size groups can be used as a sedimentary proxy to reconstruct the evolution of the East Asian Winter Monsoon （EAWM）. The studies have been carried out mainly in the northern and middle portions of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud, however, similar research in the southern portion and the comparison between sedimentary proxy and modern measured data of EAWM are lacking. In this paper, we focused on a sedimentary record of the past 100 years with an enhanced resolution of 1.8 years. Investigations of the southern end of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud area were conducted on the basis of 21~Pb chronology, grain-size analysis and chemical element analysis. The correspondence between the mean grain size （Mz） of sediment sensitive grain size and the measured EAWM was confirmed for the first time. We found that during the recent 100 years, the variation of the mean grain size of the sensitive population in the southern portion of the Zhejiang-Fujian mud was mainly controlled by the EAWM intensity changes; and not directly related to changes in the sediment discharge from Datong station of the Changjiang River （DTSD）. Finally, recent changes in the content of heavy metals in study area reflect the impact of human activities on the environment.     

High resolution records of flood deposition in the mud area off the Changjiang River mouth during the past century

This paper presents a paleoflood study to determine the flood frequency of the Changjiang River, based on core cj0702, taken from the Changjiang River subaqueous delta. We identified flood deposits by means of high-resolution grain-size variation, sensitive population, geochemical indexes and magnetic susceptibility. The core covers a time span of 120 years by 210 Pb dating and was sampled at 1–2 cm intervals. Grain size, geochemical elements, and physical parameters were analyzed. The results indicate that the sediment of the core is mainly composed of silt and clay, as well as groups of interbedded silt, clay silt, and clay. Vertically, the grain size pattern was controlled by seasonal variations in water discharge and by the sediment input in winter from the abandoned Huanghe River delta. River flooding caused extreme values in all our measured parameters. We identified more than 20 flood events that occurred since 1887 using the physical parameter analysis method. The environmentally sensitive component of sediment grain size(14.32–96.39 μm) contribution30%, Zr/Rb ratio1.5, and magnetic susceptibility16 were selected as the criteria for flood identification generally. We also found that floods that had taken place in the upstream, midstream, or downstream parts of the river were clearly identified by these indexes while the large-scale floods that covered the whole drainage area did not leave clear indications in the sediment record. This study for identification of flood events is of great significance for understanding hyperpycnal current sedimentation as well as for forecasting of floods.     

Macrobenthic community structure and species composition in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea in jellyfish bloom

To understand the characteristics of macrobenthic structures and the relationship between environment and benthic assemblages in jellyfish bloom, we studied the macrobenthos and related environmental factors in the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. Data were collected during two seasonal cruises in April and August of 2011, and analyzed with multivariate statistical methods. Up to 306 macrobenthic species were registered from the research areas, including 115 species of Polychaeta, 78 of Crustacea, 61 of Mollusca, 30 of Echinodermata, and 22 of other groups. Nine polychaete species occurred at frequencies higher than 25% from the sampling stations： Lumbrineris longifolia, Notomastus latericeus, Nin6e palmata, Ophelina acuminata, Nephtys oligobranchia, Onuphis geophiliformis, Glycera chirori, Terebellides stroemii, and Aricidea fragilis. Both the average biomass and abundance of macrobenthos are higher in August （23.8 g/m^2 and 237.7 ind./m^2） than those in April （11.3 g/m^2 and 128 ind./m^2）; the dissimilarity ofmacrobenthic structures among stations is as high as 70%. In terms of the dissimilarity values, we divided the stations into four clusters in spring and eight in summer. The ABC curve shows that the macrofauna communities in high jellyfish abundance were not changed. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that depth, temperature, median grain size, total organic carbon of sediment and total nitrogen in sediment were important factors affecting the macrozoobenthic community in the study area.     

Holocene Temperature Records from the East China Sea Mud Area Southwest of the Cheju Island Reconstructed by the U^K_37 and TEX86 Paleothermometers

As an important marginal sea under the influences of both the Changjiang River and the Kuroshio, the East China Sea （ECS） environment is sensitive to both continental and oceanic forcing. Paleoenvironmental records are essential for understanding the long-term environmental evolution of the ECS and adjacent areas. However, paleo-temperature records from the ECS shelf are currently very limited. In this study, the U^K_37 and TEX86 paleothermometers were used to reconstruct surface and subsurface temperature changes of the mud area southwest of the Cheju Island （Site F10B） in the ECS during the Holocene. The results indicate that temperature changes of F 10B during the early Holocene （11.6-6.2 kyr） are associated with global climate change. During the period of 6.2-2.5 kyr, the similar variability trends of smoothing average of AT （the difference between surface and subsurface temperature） of Site F10B and the strength of the Kuroshio suggest that the Kuroshio influence on the site started around 6.2kyr when the Kuroshio entered the Yellow Sea and continued to 2.5 kyr. During the late Holocene （2.5-1.45 kyr）, apparent decreases of U^K_37 sea surface temperature （SST） and AT imply that the direct influence of the Kuroshio was reduced while cold eddy induced by the Kuroshio gradually controlled hydrological conditions of this region around 2.5 kyr.     

Phytoplankton community dynamics during Alexandrium blooms in 2019 off the Qinhuangdao coast,Bohai Sea,China

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - Alexandrium blooms in the northwest area of the Bohai Sea (Qinhuangdao coastal area), China, produce large amounts of toxins that could be enriched in...     

VERTICAL PROFII,ES OF CHL-A AND PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY IN THE MIDDLE CONTINENTAL SHELF AREA AND EDDY AREA OF THE EAST CHINA SEA

Vertical profiles of chl-a and primary productivity in the middle continental shelf area and eddy area of the East China Sea were studied using data from a cruise in the East China Sea in February to March, 1997 and a cruise in July, 1998. The results showed that chl-a vertical distribution closely related to in situ hydrological and nutrient conditions. Chla-a concentration ranged from 0.22 to 0.35 mg/m³ and 0.93–1.09 mg/m³ in the eddy area and in the middle continental shelf area, respectively. In both areas, chl-a concentrations in deep layers were slightly higher than those in shallow layers, but was of the same order of magnitude. In summer, when a thermocline existed in the water column, highest chl-a concentrations appeared at the base of the thermocline layers in both areas. In the eddy area, chl-a concentration maximized at 31.743 mg/m³, and averaged 1.143 mg/m³ below 30 m depth. In the middle continental shelf area, the highest chl-a concentration was 2.120 mg/m³, the average was 1.168 mg/m³. The primary productivity reached 1418.76 mgC/(m²·d) in summer and 1360.69 mgC/(m²·d) in winter. In the eddy area, the primary productivity was 787.50 mgC/(m²·d) in summer and 159.04 mgC/(m²·d) in winter. Vertical carbon sinking rate from the deep layer to the bottom in both areas is also discussed in this paper. Contribution NO. 4183 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project No. 49636210 supported by NSFC.     

Spatial-temporal variation of phytoplankton community structure in Jiaozhou Bay,China

To better understand the spatial-temporal variation in phytoplankton community structure and its controlling factors in Jiaozhou Bay,Qingdao,North China,four seasonal sampling were carried out in 2017.The phytoplankton community structure and various environmental parameters were examined.The phytoplankton community in the bay was composed of mainly diatoms and dinoflagellates,and several other species of Chrysophyta were also observed.Diatoms were the most dominant phytoplankton group throughout the year,except in spring and winter,when Noctiluca scintillans was co-dominant.High Si/N ratios in summer and fall reflect the high dominance of diatoms in the two seasons.Temporally,the phytoplankton cell abundance peaked in summer,due mainly to the high temperatures and nutrient concentrations in summer.Spatially,the phytoplankton cell abundance was higher in the northern part of the bay than in the other parts of the bay in four seasons.The diatom cell abundances show significant positive correlations with the nutrient concentrations,while the dinoflagellate cell abundances show no correlation or a negative correlation with the nutrient concentrations but a significant positive correlation with the stratification index.This discrepancy was mainly due to the different survival strategies between diatoms and dinoflagellates.The Shannon-Wiener diversity index(H')values in the bay ranged from 0.08 to 4.18,which fell in the range reported in historical studies.The distribution pattern of H' values was quite different from that of chlorophyll a,indicating that the phytoplankton community structure might have high biomass with a low diversity index.Compared with historical studies,we believe that the dominant phytoplankton species have been changed in recent years due mainly to the changing environment in the Jiaozhou Bay in recent 30 years.     

Phytoplankton distribution and community structure in the East China Sea (ECS) continental shelf

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Paleo-fluvial sedimentation on the outer shelf of the East China Sea during the last glacial maximum

Evidence from lithology, foraminiferal assemblages, and high-resolution X-ray fluorescence scanning data of core SFK-1 indicates tidally influenced paleo-fluvial sedimentation during the last glacial maximum (LGM) on the outer shelf of the East China Sea. The paleo-fluvial deposits consist of river channel facies and estuarine incised-valley-filling facies. Different reflections on the seismic profile across core SFK-1 suggest that the river channels shifted and overlapped. River channel deposition formed early in the LGM when sea level fell and the estuary extended to the outer shelf. Channel sediments are yellowish-brown in color and rich in foraminifera and shell fragments owing to the strong tidal influence. Following the LGM, the paleo-river mouth retreated and regressive deposition of estuarine and incised-valley-filling facies with an erosion base occurred. The river channel facies and estuarine incised-valley-filling facies have clearly different sedimentary characteristics and provenances. The depositional environment of the paleoriver system on the wide shelf was reconstructed from the foraminiferal assemblages, CaCO₃ content and Ca/Ti ratio. The main results of this study provide further substantial constraints on the recognition of late Quaternary stratigraphy and land-sea interactions on the ECS shelf.     

Drivers of coastal bacterioplankton community diversity and structure along a nutrient gradient in the East China Sea

Anthropogenic nutrient discharge poses widespread threats to coastal ecosystems and has increased environmental gradients from coast to sea. Bacterioplankton play crucial roles in coastal biogeochemical cycling, and a variety of factors af fect bacterial community diversity and structure. We used 16 S r RNA gene pyrosequencing to investigate the spatial variation in bacterial community composition(BCC) across five sites on a coast-of fshore gradient in the East China Sea. Overall, bacterial alpha-diversity did not diff er across sites, except that richness and phylogenetic diversity were lower in the of fshore sites, and the highest alpha-diversity was found in the most landward site, with Chl-abeing the main factor. BCCs generally clustered into coastal and of fshore groups. Chl-a explained 12.3% of the variation in BCCs, more than that explained by either the physicochemical(5.7%) or spatial(8.5%) variables. Nutrients(particularly nitrate and phosphate), along with phytoplankton abundance, were more important than other physicochemical factors, co-explaining 20.0% of the variation in BCCs. Additionally, a series of discriminant families(primarily affiliated with Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria), whose relative abundances correlated with Chl-a, DIN, and phosphate concentrations, were identified, implying their potential to indicate phytoplankton blooms and nutrient enrichment in this marine ecosystem. This study provides insight into bacterioplankton response patterns along a coast-of fshore gradient, with phytoplankton abundance increasing in the of fshore sites. Time-series sampling across multiple transects should be performed to determine the seasonal and spatial patterns in bacterial diversity and community structure along this gradient.     

Delineation of different phytoplankton communities in the East China Sea mackerel and carangoid fishing ground

Delineation of phytoplankton communities in this study was based on: 1) cluster analysis by Preston's Equation (1962) and 2) analysis of the number of individuals. Results obtained by these two methods were very similar to that obtained in a previous study (Fig. 1, Gu and Guo, 1982) based on analysis of the number of planktonic species of different ecological nature. Among these three methods, that based on cluster analysis (by which some subcommunities could be recognized) proved to be the best. Contribution No. 1841 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica.     

Bacterial diversity and community structure in the East China Sea by 454 sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene

The 454 sequencing method was used to detect bacterial diversity and community structure in the East China Sea. Overall, 149 067 optimized reads with an average length of 454 nucleotides were obtained from 17 seawater samples and five sediment samples sourced in May 2011. A total of 22 phyla, 34 classes, 74 orders, 146 families, and 333 genera were identified in this study. Some of them were detected for the first time from the East China Sea. The estimated richness and diversity indices were both higher in the sediment samples compared with in the seawater samples. All the samples were divided by their diversity indices into four regions. Similarity analysis showed that the seawater samples could be classified into six groups. The groups differed from each other and had unique community structure characteristics. It was found that different water masses in the sampling areas may have had some influence on the bacterial community structure. A canonical correspondence analysis revealed that seawater samples in different areas and at different depths were affected by different environmental parameters. This study will lay the foundation for future research on microbiology in the East China Sea.     

Seasonal community structure of mesozooplankton in the Daya Bay, South China Sea

Mesozooplankton are key components of coastal ecosystems, linking the microbial food web to the classic food chain. In this study, species composition and abundance of mesozooplankton is studied for the Daya Bay in April (spring) and October (fall), 2006. A total of 27 species of mesozooplankton were identified in spring and 58 species in fall. Dominant species were Oithona tenuis, Flaccisagitta enflata, Penilia avirostris and Centropages tenuiremis in spring, shifting to Microsetella norvegica, Oithona tenuis and Parvocalanus crassirostris in fall. Higher mesozooplankton abundance was found at Aotou Cove and Dapeng’ao Cove compared to other stations, indicating the influence of eutrophication on mesozooplankton community in the Daya Bay. The outbreak of Noctiluca scintillans bloom in spring reduced the species diversity and abundance of mesozooplankton.     

Fish community diversity in the middle continental shelf of the East China Sea

The status of fishery stocks in the coastal waters of China is far from ideal, mainly due to climate change and the impacts of human activities (e.g., pollution and overfishing). Thus, the restoration and protection of fishery resources have become critical and complex. The stability and balanced structure of the fish community is a basic foundation for the protection of fishery resources. Based on data collected from bottom trawls by the R/V Beidou in continental shelf of the East China Sea in November 2006 and February 2007, changes in the composition and diversity of fish species and functional groups were analyzed. The research area was divided into offshore waters and inshore waters by the two-way indicator species analysis (TWIA). The results showed that the dominant species were different between offshore waters and inshore waters and also varied with the survey time. The most abundant family was Sciaenidae and Teraponidae in November 2006, Sciaenidae, Engraulidae and Triglidae were most abundant in February 2007. The species belonged mainly to mobile piscivores (G6), benthivores/piscivores (G4), benthivores (G3) and planktivores (G1), and the dominant species in November 2006 were commercial species (e.g. Larimichthys polyactis and Trichiurus japonicus), but small-sized species were dominant in February 2007 (e.g., Harpadon nehereus, Benthosema pterotum, Champsodon capensis, and Acropoma japonicum). The species diversity showed a similar trend as the functional group diversity. Stations with higher diversity were mainly distributed in inshore waters in February 2007, whereas higher diversity was found in offshore waters in November 2006. The highest biomass and species number were found in G6 group, followed by the G4, G5 and G1 groups. The distribution of the number of individuals of each functional group showed the opposite trend as that of the biomass distribution. In addition, the size spectra were mainly concentrated around 3–29 cm, and the individual number of fish species gradually decreased with the increase in body size, but the relative biomass showed a moderate fluctuation in each size class. These changes showed that species with faster growth rate and earlier maturity age became dominant in continental shelf of the East China Sea. So the variations in biological characteristics of fish should be fully considered in maintaining sustainable utilization of fishery resource.     

Interannual variation of nutrients along a transect across the Kuroshio and shelf area in the East China Sea over 40 years

Long-term datasets of water temperature,salinity,dissolved oxygen,phosphate and nitrate from 1973 to 2013 were used to study interannual variations of these parameters along a transect(section PN)across the Kuroshio and shelf area in the East China Sea.Water temperature and salinity at depths of 0–200 m showed a low-high-low-high pattern over the 40-year period.Water temperature and salinity at 500 m were relatively high from 1985 to 1990 and decreased continuously thereafter.Salinity at 800 m was lowest around 1993 and increased thereafter.Nutrients were highest between 1980 and 1985.After 1985,nutrients at 500 m were increasing.The range of variation in nutrients was large before 1985 and the magnitude increased with greater depths.Apparent oxygen utilization at 500 m depth was decreasing before 1990 and started to increase after 1992.Significant changes after 1990 at 500 m depth may be due to the upward trend of the upper boundary of Kuroshio intermediate water.Interannual variation of water temperature,salinity,dissolved oxygen,phosphate and nitrate along section PN has a significant correlation with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index.