Vertical Distributions of Larvae of the Clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis> and the Striped Horse Mussel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Musculista senhousia</Emphasis> in Eastern Ariake Bay,Southern Japan

We have examined the vertical distributions of planktonic bivalve larvae, particularly the clam Ruditapes philippinarum and the mussel Musculista senhousia which are common and abundant on tidal flats of eastern Ariake Bay, southern Japan. Submersible pumping gear was used to take samples at 2 stations every 2 hours during the spring tide over a whole tidal cycle and/or through daytime and nighttime. Water samples were pumped up from 3 to 5 depths from the surface to sea bottom. Regardless of tidal cycles, D-shaped larvae were concentrated near the surface, while umbo larvae were found at the surface to intermediate depths. On average, these larval densities were significantly higher at the station close to the shore than the offshore station, with no significant difference between daytime and nighttime and between flood and ebb tides at each station. The velocity and direction of water movement at both stations revealed remarkable difference between the surface and bottom waters. The larvae at the surface may quickly disperse and be transported elsewhere, while those in water close to the sea bottom may tend to be retained.     

Effects of thermal pollution on the soft-bottoms surrounding a power station in the Canary Islands (NE Atlantic ocean)

The spatial and temporal effects of hot seawater (60–70°C) from a power station on nearby soft-bottom communities were analyzed in the protected area “Sebadales del sur de Tenerife” (SE coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands, NE Atlantic Ocean). The samples were taken during summer 2003 and winter 2004 from 12 to 20 m depth. The highest macrofaunal abundance and species diversity were found in the turbines. A specific community, characterized by the polychaetes Aponuphis bilineata and sabellids of the genus Chone and the amphipod Photis longicaudata, inhabited the surroundings of the power station turbines. Permanent current from sea effluent had majok impact over the macrofaunal community structure of the neighbouring bottom where no measurable responses to thermal disturbance were detected.     

Entrainment of bottom sediment in the Seto Inland Sea in summer

Time series of the vertical distribution of resuspended matter and bottom current were collected concurrently during summer at a few anchored stations in the Seto Inland Sea. The vertical distribution of resuspended matter was measured every hour for about one tidal cycle and the three components of current fluctuation were obtained at each sampling station. Current data at each sampling station show that the bottom is hydraulically smooth.Assuming that the averaged vertical distribution of resuspended matter for one tidal cycle shows a steady state distribution, the settling velocityWs of resuspended matter is estimated to be in the range of 1.2×10^–2 to 5.7×10^–2 cm sec^–1 from analysis of the averaged distributions.The relation between the erosion rate and the bottom shear stress for this study area is investigated and is compared with that for other areas. The results show that the erosion of sediment in the Seto Inland Sea during summer occurs even due to the low bottom shear stress which is considered as almost smooth hydraulically.     

Abyssal scavenging demersal fauna at two areas of contrasting productivity on the Subantarctic Crozet Plateau,southern Indian Ocean

The Crozet Plateau is situated below typical high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) waters of the southern Indian Ocean. The area to the east of the Crozet Islands experiences high levels of surface productivity during the austral summer due to natural iron enrichment from terrestrial sources and favourable light conditions. The demersal scavenging fauna at two areas of contrasting productivity, to the east and south of the islands, were investigated using two landers equipped with baited cameras and traps. Five species of scavenging fish were observed along with five groups of invertebrates during a single deployment of the RObust BIOdiversity (ROBIO) lander. Further deployments of the Fish RESPirometry (FRESP) video lander yielded no additional scavenging fish species. A modelled arrival and departure curve for the abyssal grenadier Coryphaenoides armatus suggests a region of low food availability compared to other regions worldwide. The ROBIO-derived abundance estimate for C. armatus of 187 ind. km^–2 is comparable with published trawl-derived estimates. Significantly more amphipods were collected to the south of the islands, which was subject to lower organic matter supply. Reasons for this are unknown but may be due to differing current direction/velocities, or increased fish predation at the enriched site. The numerically dominant amphipod species present was Paralicella caperesca, followed by Eurythenes gryllus and Orchomenella gerulicorbis. A further five species were observed in low numbers, some occurring only once. One, Paracallisoma sp. nov, was a new species.     

In situ Study of Bromide Tracer and Oxygen Flux in Coastal Sediments

Laboratory and in situ experiments were performed to assess the use of bromide as a tracer forin situ studies of benthic solute exchange. Bromide was used in the benthic chamber lander ‘ Elinor ’ for flux measurements in coastal sediments of the German Bight, Kiel Bight and Skagerrak (28–700 m water depth). Tracer and total oxygen uptake were monitored simultaneously in the same chamber incubation. Concurrently, in situ oxygen micro-profiles were recorded at the same locations by the profiling lander ‘ Profilur ’. Deployment in an anoxic silt (Kiel Bight) confirmed that in the absence of bioturbation and advection, tracer transport into the sediment was driven solely by molecular diffusion. This flux could be well described by a simple box model accounting for molecular diffusion only. In oxic sediments (German Bight and Skagerrak) enhanced exchange of bromide tracer due to bioirrigation parallelled enhanced oxygen uptake equivalent to a 4-fold molecular diffusive flux. Our experiments showed that incubations can be short. Depending on irrigation activity of the fauna, however, incubation length should exceed 3 h in order to provide a useful data base for flux calculations. The method demonstrating caveats is discussed and indicate possible improvements. The results show how the bromide tracer addition can be used as a tool for determining solute fluxes exceeding diffusive flux in benthic chamber incubations.     

Methane in Izena Cauldron,Okinawa Trough

Methane in the deep water of Izena Cauldron (maximum depth: ca. 1650 m) at the east side of mid-Okinawa Trough was studied by casting a CTD system with 12 Niskin bottles for water sampling at 11 stations inside and outside the cauldron. The water contained much methane up to 706 nmoles/l. The depths of maximum concentration varied widely from station to station, indicating the existence of a considerable number of vents emitting methane and heat. The waters containing less methane formed a straight line in theT-S diagram, while those containing more methane were more largely deviated from the line. The temperature anomaly was virtually proportional to the methane concentration, suggesting that the oxidation rate of methane inside the cauldron is negligibly small and methane can be used as a tracer of the cauldron water. The relation and the estimated vertical diffusivity gave the following fluxes. The emissions of methane and heat out of the bottom below 1450 m turn out to be 1400 moles/day and 7×10¹⁰ cal/day, respectively. The total emission rates inside the cauldron are presumed to be about twice the above values. The turnover time of methane has been estimated to be 240 days, which is also that of heat generated from the bottom and probably that of the bottom water.     

Communication, control, and data acquisition systems on the ISHTE lander

A lander is being designed to perform a year-long in situ Heat Transfer Experiment (ISHTE) on the deep seafloor. This paper describes the acoustic-communication, electrical-control, data-acquisition, and mechanical-control systems developed and tested for use on the ISHTE lander. The lander's functions include implanting a heat source in the deep ocean clay, monitoring the thermal field, supporting geotechnical and geochemical experiments, and recovering undisturbed sediment core samples. Once the lander is deployed, the acoustic-communication link is the only connection between it and a surface ship. The acoustic-communication link is used to track and send commands to the lander and to transmit experiment data and lander status to a surface ship.     

Bioluminescence in the deep sea: Free-fall lander observations in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Verde

A novel autonomous free-fall lander vehicle, with a capability down to 6000 m, was deployed off Cape Verde for studies on bioluminescence in the deep sea. The system was equipped with a high-sensitivity Intensified Silicon Intensified Target (ISIT) video camera, a programmable control-recording unit and an acoustic current meter with depth and temperature sensors. The ISIT lander was used in three modes: (1) free falling at 34 m min⁻¹, with the camera looking downwards at a mesh screen, recording impacts of luminescent organisms to obtain a vertical profile down to the abyssal sea floor, sampling at >100 l s⁻¹; (2) rotating, with the lander on the sea floor and the camera orienting to the bottom current using a servo-controlled turntable, impacts of luminescent organisms carried by the bottom current onto a mesh screen mounted 0.5 m in front of the camera were recorded to estimate abundance in the benthic boundary layer; (3) baited, with the camera focused on a bait placed on the sea floor.Profiles recorded abundance of luminescent organisms as 26.7 m⁻³ at 500–999 m depth, decreasing to 1.6 m⁻³ at 2000–2499 m and 0.5 m⁻³ between 2500 m and the sea floor at 4046 m, with no further detectable significant change with depth. Rotator measurements at a 0.5 m height above the sea floor gave a mean abundance of 0.47 m⁻³ in the benthic boundary layer at 4046 m and of 2.04 m⁻³ at 3200 m. Thirty five minutes after the bait was placed on the sea floor at 3200 m, bioluminescent fauna apparently arrived at the bait and produced luminescent displays at a rate of 2 min⁻¹. Moving, flashing light sources were observed and luminescent material was released into the bottom current.     

CFC Indicating Renewal of the Japan Sea Deep Water in Winter 2000–2001

The distributions of CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) in the water column was determined twice in 2000 and 2001 in the northwestern Japan Sea. In 2000 the CFC-11 concentration decreased almost exponentially with depth from 6 pmol/kg at a few hundred m deep to 0.3 pmol/kg or less at the bottom of about 3400 m depth at three stations (40–41°N, 132–133°E) about 300 km off Vladivostok. In 2001 the CFC-11 concentration increased sharply up to 2 pmol/kg in the bottom water, while it did not increase at a station (42.0°N, 136.5°E) about 450 km away to the northeast. This is due to the renewal of the bottom water which is replaced by the surface water flowing down along the continental slope, as suggested by Tsunogai et al. (1999), who proposed the continental shelf pump. Furthermore, an increase in the CFC-11 concentration was observed throughout the entire water column above 3000 m depth, although the proportion of the increase was about 20%, which was one order of magnitude smaller than that in the bottom water. The increase in inventory is almost four times larger than that in the bottom water below 3000 m depth which is equivalent to about 1/6 of the total inventory found in 2000. The increase also means that 3% of the deep water was replaced by the recent surface water, or, if the turnover occurs every year, that the turnover time of the deep water to be about 30 years. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seasonal variability of living benthic foraminifera from the outer continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay

Living benthic foraminiferal faunas of six stations from the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay have been investigated during three successive seasons (spring, summer and autumn 2002). For the three investigated stations, bottom water oxygen concentration, oxygen penetration into the sediment and sediment organic carbon contents are all relatively similar. Therefore, we think that the density and the composition of the foraminiferal faunas is mainly controlled by the quantity and quality of organic input resulting from a succession of phytoplankton bloom events, occurring from late February to early September. The earliest blooms are positioned at the shelf break, late spring and early summer blooms occur off Brittany, whereas in late summer and early autumn, only coastal blooms appear, often in the vicinity of river outlets. In spring, the benthic foraminiferal faunas of central (B, C and D) and outer (E) continental shelf stations are characterised by strong dominance in the first area and strong presence in the second area of Nonionella iridea. In fact, station E does not serve as a major depocenter for the remains of phytoplankton blooms. If station E is not considered, the densities of this taxon show a clear gradient from the shelf-break, where the species dominates the assemblages, to the coast, where it attains very low densities. We explain this gradient as a response to the presence, in early spring, of an important phytoplankton bloom, mainly composed of coccolithophorids, over the shelf break. This observation is supported by the maximum particles flux values at stations close to the shelf break (18.5 g m^− 2 h^− 1) and lower values in a station closer to the coast (6.8 g m^− 2 h^− 1). In summer, the faunal density is maximum at station A, relatively close to more varied phytoplancton blooms that occur off Brittany until early June. We suggest that the dominant species, Nonion fabum, Cassidulina carinata and Bolivina ex. gr. dilatata respond to phytodetritus input from these blooms. In autumn, the rich faunas of inner shelf station G are dominated by N. fabum, B. ex. gr. dilatata, Hyalinea balthica and Nonionella turgida. These taxa seem to be correlated with the presence of coastal blooms phenomena, in front of river outlets. They may be favoured by an organic input with a significant contribution of terrestrial, rather low quality organic matter.     

Short-term and interannual variability of redox-sensitive chemical parameters in hypoxic/anoxic bottom waters of the Chesapeake Bay

A combination of CTD casts, discrete bottle sampling and in situ voltammetric microelectrode profiling was used to examine changing redox conditions in the water column at a single station south of the Bay Bridge in the upper Chesapeake Bay in late July/early August, 2002–2005. Short-term (2–4 h) fluctuations in the oxic/suboxic/anoxic interface were documented using in situ voltammetric solid-state electrodes. Profiles of dissolved oxygen and sulfide revealed tidally-driven vertical fluctuations of several meters in the depth and thickness of the suboxic zone. Bottom water concentrations of sulfide, Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ also varied over the tidal cycle by approximately an order of magnitude. These data indicate that redox species concentrations at this site varied more due to physical processes than biogeochemical processes. Based on analysis of ADCP data, tidal currents at this station were strongly polarized, with the principal axis of tidal currents aligned with the mainstem channel. Together with the chemical data, the ADCP analysis suggests tidal flushing of anoxic bottom waters with suboxic water from north of the site. The present study is thus unique because while most previous studies have focused on processes across relatively stable redox interfaces, our data clearly demonstrate the influence of rapidly changing physical mixing processes on water column redox chemistry.Also noted during the study were interannual differences in maximum bottom water concentrations of sulfide, Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺. In 2003, for example, heavy spring rains resulted in severe hypoxia/anoxia in June and early July. While reported storm-induced mixing in late July/early August 2003 partially alleviated the low-oxygen conditions, bottom water concentrations of sulfide, Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ were still much higher than in the previous year. The latter implies that the response time of the microbial community inhabiting the suboxic/anoxic bottom waters to changing redox conditions is slow compared to the time scale of episodic mixing events. Bottom water concentrations of the redox-sensitive chemical species should thus be useful as a tracer to infer prior hypoxic/anoxic conditions not apparent from ambient oxygen levels at the time of sampling.     

两种评价大型底栖动物堵塞滨海核电站冷源系统的风险指数

大型底栖动物是滨海湿地常见生物类群,有报道属于大型底栖动物的海地瓜(Acaudina molpadioidea)等堵塞滨海核电厂冷源系统。本研究根据2017年10月至2018年7月在大亚湾潮下带52个站位用采泥器获得的4个季节大型底栖动物数据,以及2021年3月在大亚湾潮下带4个站位底拖网获得的海地瓜数据,建立了2种评价大型底栖动物堵塞滨海核电站冷源系统的风险指数,即采泥器法风险指数(grappler method risk index,GMRI)和底拖网法风险指数(bottom trawl risk index,BTRI)。在大亚湾7种大型底栖动物中,除了冬季和春季的双鳃内卷齿蚕(Aglaophamus dibranchis),以及夏季的短吻铲荚螠(Listriolobus brevirostris)的GMRI超过50%外,毛头梨体星虫(Apionsoma trichocephala)、冠奇异稚齿虫(Paraprionospio cristata)、波纹巴非蛤(Paratapes undulatus)、海地瓜和棘刺锚参(Protankyra bidentata)等的GMRI均小于50...     

Dilute-acid trace-metal fraction in northeastern Gulf of Mexico sediments

Variations in dilute-acid (partial digest) metal concentrations in bottom sediments from 49 stations on the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida continental margin are investigated with the aid of ordination and other multivariate statistical techniques. Total iron, carbonate content, clay fraction and water depth correlate well with the overall leachable sediment metal values for pooled station replicates over four sampling periods. Individual metal concentrations also are correlated with these and other environmental parameters using stepwise multiple linear regression techniques. A weak positive association between Ba, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and V burdens in the demersal fishSyacium papillosum and the dilute-acid leachable sediment metal TOC and carbonate concentrations is demonstrated.     

Coastal currents adjacent to the Caeté Estuary,Pará Region,North Brazil

We examined and compared tidal currents and water column structure between a near-shore station (12 km from the coast) and an offshore station (32 km from the coast) adjacent to the Caeté River, Pará Region, Brazil. Although the coastal system of Pará is largely influenced by local tides and wind, we found substantial differences in the dominant forcing agents between stations. Water column dynamics at the near-shore station were largely affected by local tidal processes, while differences between surface and bottom layer flows also indicated the importance of gravitational circulation at this station and a substantial influence of the adjacent Caeté River discharge. In comparison, at the offshore station, water column structure was largely influenced by a semi-diurnal tidal flow, an along-coastal current flow (mainly associated with the North Brazil Current) and the dynamics of local wind flow. The near-shore station at low tide showed a high level of stratification; at high tide such stratification was reduced. In comparison, stratification was only apparent within the upper 6 m at the offshore station, the rest of the water column was relatively well-mixed. The stratification within Station 1 at low tide was a result of the bi-directional movement of water discharged from the Caeté River, with lower salinity surface water and high salinity bottom water resulting in an estuarine-like circulation environment. The spatial variability and lack of correlation in current flow and water column structure between the near-shore and offshore stations suggest that a flow field resulting from differences in local circulation, tidal variability and wind persistence separate areas. We argue that this separation may indicate that the offshore station is located in a transition region between the Caeté River waters and the local coastal area.     

Strong tidal currents observed near the bottom in the Suruga Trough,central Japan

Current measurements carried out at the depth of 4 m above the sea bottom near the northern edge of the Suruga Trough in the early fall of 1985 indicated the existence of strong semidiurnal tidal currents, which were considered to be associated with internal tides. In order to examine the spatial structure of the bottom intensified tidal flow, more detailed current observations were carried out at three or four depths at two stations along the main axis of the Suruga Trough during about 70 days from August to October 1988. We obtained the following results: (1) the variations of the current velocity caused by the semidiurnal and diurnal internal tides are evident in all of the records, and the orientation of the major axis of each tidal ellipse nearly coincides with that of the main axis of the trough; (2) the semidiurnal internal tide is dominant over the diurnal internal tide at 4 m above the sea bottom at both stations; (3) at the northern station the semidiurnal internal tide is dominant over the diurnal internal tide, whereas they are nearly equal at the southern station except at 4 m above the sea bottom; (4) the biharmonic internal tides with 1/3 day and 1/4 day periods, are found near the sea bottom and the major axis of the tidal ellipse is perpendicular to the orientation of the main axis of the Suruga Trough.     

Temporal changes in pelagic copepod assemblages off Ubatuba,Brazil

The inner shelf waters off Southeastern Brazil are periodically enriched by bottom intrusions of the cold and nutrient‐rich South Atlantic Central Water (SACW), which is transported offshore by the Brazil Current. This study examined the temporal contrasts in abundance and structure of pelagic copepod assemblages in a neritic station off Ubatuba, in relation to hydrography and phytoplankton biomass, to investigate the effects of SACW bottom intrusions on copepod population dynamics during three consecutive years. The water‐column characteristics shifted from a well‐mixed, more turbid and phytoplankton‐poor scenario during subsidence conditions to a stratified, less turbid and high Chl‐a concentration scenario during SACW bottom intrusions, leading to increased copepod diversity, abundance, and biomass. The rise in copepod diversity during SACW intrusions was related to the contribution of oceanic species in addition to coastal water species. The copepod community was numerically dominated by small‐sized species, such as Oncaea waldemari, Oithona plumifera, and clausocalanid and paracalanid copepodids, regardless of seasonality and SACW intrusions. Some large calanoid species contributed considerably to the total copepod biomass during intrusions. In addition to confirming that SACW seasonal intrusions play a key role in pelagic processes off Southeast Brazil, this study showed that the multiannual variability of SACW seasonal intrusions is important in regulating the structure and dynamics of copepod communities in this subtropical area.     

黄海中南部近岸海域春季鱼类浮游生物群落空间格局研究

根据2015年春季在黄海中南部近岸海域进行的鱼类浮游生物大型浮游生物网水平拖网数据,采用生态多样性指数和多元统计分析等方法,研究了该海域鱼类浮游生物的种类组成和群落空间格局及其与环境因子的关系。结果表明,本次调查共采集到鱼类浮游生物35种,其中鱼卵21种,仔稚鱼23种。鱼类浮游生物隶属于8目18科34属,优势种为鳀（Engraulis japonicus）、鲬（Platycephalus indicus）、鱼衔属（Callionymus spp.）和小黄鱼（Pseudosciaena polyactis）。其中,鳀和鱼衔属主要分布于海州湾渔场海域,鲬主要分布于吕泗渔场海域,小黄鱼多分布于吕泗渔场北部海域。生态类型包括半咸水型、沿岸型和近海型种类。聚类分析表明,鱼类浮游生物群落可划分为以鱼衔属、鳀为优势种的站位组A（主要分布于海州湾海域）、以小黄鱼、黄鲫（Setipinna taty）等为优势种的站位组B（主要位于江苏沿岸海域）和以鲬为优势种的站位组C（主要位于江苏沿岸-近海海域）,以站位组B的群落物种多样性指数和均匀度指数最高。各站位组的鱼类浮游生物的生态类型和适温类型组成不同,这与其所处的海域生境有关。典范对应分析（CCA）表明,影响春季黄海中南部鱼类浮游生物群落空间结构的主要环境因子为水深和表层温度。同时也受洋流、底质类型等多种因素的综合影响。研究结果初步揭示了黄海中南部近岸海域鱼类浮游生物群落的空间格局,可为今后科学制定该海域水产种质资源保护区、资源量化管理等资源养护管理措施提供科学依据与技术支撑。     

Real-time geophysical measurements on the deep seafloor usingsubmarine cable in the southern Kurile subduction zone

A permanent real-time geophysical observatory using a submarine cable was developed and deployed to monitor seismicity, tsunamis, and other geophysical phenomena in the southern Kurile subduction zone. The geophysical observatory comprises six bottom sensor units, two branching units, a main electro-optical cable with a length of 240 km and two land stations. The bottom sensor units are: 1) three ocean bottom broadband seismometers with hydrophone; 2) two pressure gauges (PGs); 3) a cable end station with environmental measurement sensors. Real-time data from all the undersea sensors are transmitted through the main electro-optical cable to the land station. The geophysical observatory was installed on the continental slope of the southern Kurile trench, southeast Hokkaido, Japan in July 1999. Examples of observed data are presented. Sensor noises and resolution are mentioned for the ocean bottom broadband seismometers and the PGs, respectively. An adaptable observation system including very broadband seismometers is scheduled to be connected to the branching unit in late 2001. The real-time geophysical observatory is expected to greatly advance the understanding of geophysical phenomena in the southern Kurile subduction zone     

獐子岛养殖区夏季底层水温快速变化的机理分析

Rapid changes in the near-bottom water temperature are important environmental factors that can significantly affect the growth and development of species in the bottom culture. The object of this research is to investigate the mechanism causing these rapid changes within a bottom culture area near the Zhangzi Island. The hydrographic transects observations in the North Yellow Sea(NYS) suggest that our mooring station is very close to the tidal mixing front. The horizontal advection of the tidal front has induced the observed tidal change of bottom temperature at the mooring station. Analysis of the mooring near-bottom temperature and current measurements show that the angle between the tidal current horizontal advection and the swing of the tidal front is crucial in determining the variation trend of temperature. When the angle equals 90°, the horizontal tidal current advects along the isotherms so the temperature remains the same. When the angle is between 0° and 90°, the seawater moves from deep water to the warmer coastal zone and the temperature decreases. In contrast, the horizontal tidal advection moves the coastal warm water to the mooring station and the water temperature increases when the angle is between 90° and 180°. The amplitude of the temperature change is proportional to the magnitude of the horizontal temperature gradient and the tidal excursion in the direction of the temperature gradient. This study may facilitate the choice of culture area in order to have a good aquaculture production.