An inflection in the rate of early mid-Holocene eustatic sea-level rise: A new sea-level curve from Singapore

This study presents a sea-level curve from 9500 to 6500 cal BP for the farfield location of Singapore, on the Sunda Shelf in southeast Asia. The curve is based on more than 50 radiocarbon dates from elevations of +1.43 m to −15.09 m representing sea-level index points in intertidal mangrove and shallow marine sediments deposited by sea-level rise accompanying deglaciation. The results indicate that mean sea level rose rapidly from around −17 m at 9500 cal BP to around −3 m by 8000 cal BP. After this time, the data suggest (but do not unequivocally prove) that the rate of sea-rise slowed for a period of 300–500 years centred on 7700 cal BP, shortly after the cessation of meltwater input to the oceans from the northern hemisphere. Renewed sea-level rise amounting to 3–5 m began around 7400 cal BP and was complete by 7000 cal BP. The existence of an inflection in the rate of sea-level rise, with a slow-down centred on 7700 cal BP, is broadly consistent with other available sea-level curves over this interval and is supported by evidence of stable shorelines and delta initiation elsewhere at this time, as well as evidence of comparatively rapid retreat of the West Antarctic ice sheet beginning around 7500 cal BP. ‘Stepped’ sea-level rise occurring shortly after 7500 cal BP and also earlier during deglaciation may have served to focus significant post-glacial episodes of human maritime/coastal dispersal, into comparatively narrow time intervals.     

Studying changes of ice coasts in the European Arctic

The present extent of European ice coasts, their spatial changes in the past 50 years and the velocities of ice flow in marginal parts of tidewater glaciers were determined and mapped at a regional scale using space-borne image data, both optical and radar. The methods of satellite photogrammetry and radar interferometry provided efficient solutions to the integral estimation of ice-coast dynamics in the Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya and Svalbard archipelagos. Studies revealed significant degradation of the ice coasts (–7.7% by length) compared to the situation represented in the available maps. The results obtained in the laboratory were verified during several field campaigns.     

Mass culturing of living sands (Baculogypsina sphaerulata) to protect island coasts against sea-level rise

Coral reef islands have a self-sustaining mechanism that expands and maintains the islands through the deposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) by marine organisms. However, the human societies established on such low-lying coral reef islands are vulnerable to rapid sea-level rises. Enhancing the self-sustaining mechanism of coral reefs will become one of the required sustainable countermeasures against sea-level rise. We examined the feasibility of mass culturing the large benthic foraminifera Baculogypsina sphaerulata, which is known as “living sand.” We developed a rearing system with the key components of an artificial lawn as a habitat and a stirring device to create vertical water currents. Batches of B. sphaerulata in two different size groups were reared to examine size growth and reproduction under the culture conditions. All culture batches reproduced asexually following generations over 6 months in culture. The small-sized group exhibited steady growth, whereas the large-sized group underwent a reduction in mean size because large individuals (> 1.5 mm²) died off. Similar traits of size structure between the culture batches and natural populations indicate that our culturing conditions can successfully reproduce environments similar to the habitat of this species. Reproduction, consistent size growth, and size structure similar to the natural population indicate that the examined rearing system is viable for culturing Foraminifera at a large scale.     

Expected changes in the benthic fauna of Wadden Sea tidal flats as a result of sea-level rise or bottom subsidence

In different parts of the Dutch Wadden Sea, relationships between intertidal level and abundance of marine macrozoobenthos were similar. Numerical densities, biomass and species richness increased from values close to 0 at the high-water level to maximum values around mean-tide level (numbers) or halfway between this level and low-tide level (biomass). Species richness hardly declined below mean-tide level, whereas mean weight per individual continued to increase from high- to low-water level.Biomass was about 45 g ash-free dry weight per m² at its maximum and declined in an approximately linear way to values close to 0 at the high-water level and to about 7 g per m² at the low-water level. These two linear relationships were used to predict biomass changes on intertidal flats of the Wadden Sea at various scenarios of sea-level rise and bottom subsidence. Net sea-level rise is expected to result in increased amounts of intertidal zoobenthos in areas with predominantly high tidal flats, but in declines in lower areas. However, such changes will occur only if sea-level rise proceeds too fast to be compensated by extra sedimentation. Bottom subsidence as a consequence of gas extraction is expected to be too small to cause any measurable change in the benthic fauna.     

Rapid changes of the oceanic circulation in a hierarchy of ocean models

The response time of the large-scale oceanic circulation due to freshwater perturbations is investigated with models of different complexity. A three-dimensional ocean general circulation model (OGCM) and a zonally averaged ocean model are employed. In order to distinguish advection and diffusion from fast baroclinic processes (e.g. waves in the OGCM) a color tracer is injected at the same time and location as the freshwater discharges. In spite of the inability of the zonally averaged model to represent wave processes in a realistic way similarities with the OGCM are found for the propagation patterns of density anomalies and of color tracer. In the OGCM as well as in the zonally averaged model, density anomalies propagate faster than anomalies of a passive color tracer in the case of vertical density stratification. The progression of density anomalies leads to changes of the oceanic circulation, and both oceanic models exhibit circulation changes in areas distant from the discharge places long before the passively entrained color tracer has reached these regions. The fact that a zonally averaged model simulates baroclinic processes faster than advection even if internal gravity waves are not represented due to neglected acceleration terms, is clarified with a conceptual box model.     

Biological evidence of sea-level rise during the last 4500 years on the rocky coasts of continental southwestern France and Corsica

On the rocky coasts of the northwestern Mediterranean basin, biogenic littoral rims built by the coralline rhodophyte Lithophyllum lichenoides develop, whose remains may be preserved for millennia when submerged in a rising sea environment. These remains can be used as biological indicators of recent sea-level variations. Our survey of the continental coasts of Var and Bouches du Rhône, west of Marseilles (southern France) and of northern Corsica shows that relative sea level rose about 1.6 m in the study area during the last 4500 years without exceeding the present datum. The rate of sea-level rise was 0.4 mm per year between 4500 and 1500 yr B.P. and slowed down to 0.2 mm per year from 1500 yr B.P. to present time. There are also morphological indications of an acceleration of the rate of sea-level rise during the last century, supporting the evidence of tide gauges. Regions at the periphery of the above zone (Alpes Maritimes, Italian border zone, and the French and Spanish Catalonia regions) were also surveyed, but a weaker development of Lithophyllum rims and bad preservation of algal remains led to unconvincing dates which could also be linked to regional tectonic trends.     

Seasonal variation in the molt status of an oceanic copepod

The timing of diapause, or suppressed development, in the dominant California Current copepod Calanus pacificus was examined in two ways. Diapause timing was inferred from changes in the abundance of deep, diapausing C. pacificus over a full year at a station off southern California, USA. Jaw phase and ecdysteroid content, indicators of molt cycle status in C. pacificus, were also examined to determine if shifts toward early molt phases, as are observed in diapausing Calanus, were also found among surface C. pacificus during periods when the abundance of deep, diapausing C. pacificus was increasing. The abundance of diapausing C. pacificus in deep water increased from June to mid-October, then declined from October to March. The percentage of surface-living C. pacificus CV with postmolt jaws, the earliest jaw phase, was significantly higher from June to mid-October than at other times. The ecdysteroid content of surface-living C. pacificus CV was also significantly lower during June to mid-October than during late October to May. Both of these changes indicate a shift to earlier molt phases in surface-living C. pacificus CV during periods of onset of diapause. However, the molt status of surface CV was variable from June to mid-October, suggesting that preparation for diapause was spatially or temporally heterogeneous. Hypotheses about environmental cues that induce diapause were evaluated, although the effect of cues on possibly sensitive stages could not be considered. The abundance of diapausing C. pacificus increased during a period of warm upper water column temperature and generally high and declining photoperiod; however, evaluation of the cues inducing diapause was inconclusive.     

Postglacial sea-level changes and development stages of fluvial-estuarine system

-On the basis of the data obtained from the investigations on some rivers in China and Australia, the author discusses the spatial and temporal changes of various portions of fluvial-estuarine system during postglacial sea-level rising in present coastal and deltaic areas. The evolution of a fluvial-estuarine system can be divided into four development stages: early transgression, late transgression, stationary and regression. Early transgression brought about filling-in of the paleo-valley formed in low stand of sea level. In response to late transgression the estuaries were created, during the stationary stage the big swamp was developed. The regression led to estuaries to be filled with sediments and then became deltas. At the same locality the fluvial-estuarine system changed with time. In the transgressive period the lower reach of a river changed into an estuary, and then became nearshore area. In the regressive period the nearshore area changed into an estuary , and then became delta.     

Stable isotope ratios in Cape gannets around the southern coasts of Africa reveal penetration of biogeographic patterns in oceanic signatures

The southern coasts of Africa are influenced by two major oceanic currents, leading to biogeographic patterns in inshore and offshore species assemblages, and in the stable isotope signatures of suspended particulate matter and filter-feeding mussels. We used the stable isotope ratios of carbon (¹³C/¹²C) and nitrogen (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) from the blood and feathers of adult and chick Cape gannets (Morus capensis) to investigate whether the geographic differences observed at the lower levels in the marine communities are deep penetrating effects that reach top predators. Additionally, we evaluated whether trophic segregation occurs between adult and reared chick gannets, and whether a shift to wintering habitat occurs in adults. The study was conducted during the 2006 breeding season on Bird Island in the Agulhas system, and on Malgas and Ichaboe Islands, in the south and north Benguela respectively. Our results showed significant differences in the isotope ratios of members of different colonies, but no intra-colony differences between tissues or age groups. These results indicate that there is neither age-related nor temporal segregation in the diet of members of the same colony. Feather isotopic values suggest that adults remain all year round in the same habitats, and do not undertake long migration after reproduction. Since all gannets tend to target similar prey, we attributed among-colony differences in isotope signatures mostly to the oceanic conditions experienced by the main prey of birds rather than substantial differences in diet composition. Overall, isotopic signatures segregate the two current systems, with depleted carbon values in the Agulhas and enriched nitrogen values in the upwelled waters of the Benguela. Within the Benguela birds from Ichaboe in the north had higher δ¹⁵N values than those from Malgas in the south, which we attributed to differences in the functioning of the upwelling cells in the vicinity of the two colonies. Finally, slight variation in the proportion of main prey and discards from fisheries may contribute to the variation in the stable-isotope signatures between colonies in the Benguela.     

Annual variation rate of global sea-level rise and the prediction for the 21st century

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Transgressions and the sea-level changes of the western Taiwan Strait since the Late Pleistocene

The sedimentary sequences since the Late Pleistocene can be divided into Layers E, D, C, B, A from old to young according to systematic analysis of grain-size, pollen and spore, diatom, foraminifera, radiocarbon dating and paleogeomagnetism of 16 sedimentary cores from the sea area of the western Taiwan Strait. The results proved the existences of the Langqi transgression (upper section of Layer D) formed in middle and late stages of early Wurm glacial period, Fuzhou transgression (Layer C) formed in Wurm sub-interglacial period and Changle transgression (Layer A) formed in postglacial period. It was also the first time to discover the Jinmen transgression (Layer E) formed in Riss -Wurm interglacial period. In this paper it is proposed that most part of the Taiwan Strait emerged as land in the early stage of early Wurm glacial period, and was still under sublittoral environment in late Wurm glacial period, as well as the existence of Dongshan Continental Bridge was in 8×103 a BP.     

海平面变化的小波和自回归模型集成预测试验

针对海面变化预测时间序列模型中趋势组份和周期(准周期)组份的提取和预测问题,基于吴淞站1955～2001年月平均潮位序列,采用小波分析(WA)与自回归(AR)模型相结合的方案,对小波分解的不同尺度分量序列,借助于时间序列模型进行分量预测,再对它们进行叠加建立预测模型,进行了月平均潮位预测试验.以1955～1996年数据为基础建立模型,1997～2001年数据作为验证,结果表明两种方法的结合使用显示了较好的效果,具有较高的精度.     

Preliminary research on sea-level changes of the South China coast since late Epipleistocene

Several views on sea-level changes of the South China coast are briefly introduced in this paper. On the basis of 236 samples whose ages are determined by 14C chronological method and their sites are corrected with ancient water depth and crustal deformation, a basic model about sea-level changes of the South China coast since late Epipleistocene is set up. This model basically accords with the general cognitions of predecessors, i. e. it not only represents the common characteristics of sea-level changes of the East China coast but has some features of the South China coast itself. In general, this model is relatively close to the Fairbridge's curve, indicating that the sea-level undulations exist since 6 ka ago but the ranges of undulations are slightly larger than those of Fairbridge's curve.     

Last glacial sea-level changes and paleogeography of the Korea (Tsushima) Strait

The Korea (Tsushima) Strait is an important seaway through which the warm Tsushima Current flows into the East Sea (Japan Sea). A paleogeographic map constrained by a regional sea-level curve developed on the basis of a number of recent ¹⁴C radiocarbon dates suggests that the Korea Strait was not closed during the last glacial period. Rather, it was open as a channel-like seaway linking the western North Pacific and the East Sea. Some fraction of the paleo-Tsushima Current inflow presumably continued at that time through the Korea Strait. The activity of the paleo-Tsushima Current is evidenced by the distribution pattern of river-derived lowstand deposits, consisting of a beach/shoreface complex and lowstand deltaic wedges. Received: 16 April 1999 / Revision accepted: 25 February 2000     

Serpentinized peridotites as a possible source for oceanic magnetic anomalies

New data acquired on the slow spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge during several Legs of the Ocean Drilling Programme (ODP) give evidence that, in many places, serpentinized peridotites constitute the upper oceanic crust in the vicinity of rift valley. This discovery contradicts the classical view on the formation of oceanic crust at the ridge axis, which postulates that only basalts constitute the upper oceanic crust.The magnetic properties of 57 samples of such serpentinized peridotites, collected at five ODP sites in the Atlantic Ocean, have been analyzed in order to examine the origin and evolution of their natural remanent magnetization (NRM). All samples are characterized by NRM (average value about 3.5 A/M) comparable with NRM of altered oceanic basalts. Average Q-ratio (NRM to induced magnetization ratio) was about 2.The results reported here give evidence that serpentinization is a complex and irregular process. The local concentration of magnetite is determined by magnetostatic interaction between magnetic grains rather than volume concentration of magnetite. This local concentration, which represents the degree of serpentinization, affects the NRM value. The domain structure of magnetite grains developed during serpentinization is controlled by the degree of serpentinization.Experimental data show that original remanence of serpentinites exposed in the upper oceanic crust may contribute to the oceanic magnetic anomalies. In particular, serpentinites with magnetite of pseudodomain size represent a very probable source for magnetic anomalies. It is however unlikely that such ODP serpentinites systematically contribute to the oceanic magnetic lineations.     

海平面长期变化对推算多年一遇极值水位的影响

利用乳山口24a的年极值高、低水位和年平均海平面,分析讨论了平均海平面长期变化对推算多年一遇极值水位的影响.同时讨论了消除平均海平面中长期变化的途径.比较了消除平均海平面长期变化和保留这种变化情况下推算出的两种多年一遇极值水位,可以发现,对多年一遇高水位来说,保留平均海平面长期变化所得结果高于消除了的,而对多年一遇低水位而言,情况正好相反.     

北大西洋沿岸过去2000年海平面变化的若干重要特征

北大西洋沿岸是世界上最容易受海平面上升影响的地区之一。了解该区域过去海平面变化历史和特征,对认识现代海平面变化过程、预估未来海平面变化趋势具有重要科学意义,同时也有助于最大限度地减小预测结果的不确定性。基于此,我们以北大西洋沿岸1 350个验潮站观测记录和已发表的1 604个海平面数据为基础,进行系统分析和集成研究,尝试建立北大西洋沿岸过去2000年海平面的变化历史,并分析北大西洋沿岸过去2000年海平面变化的主要过程与特征、区域差异和存在的问题。结果表明：①北大西洋沿岸过去2000年海平面变化具有显著的时空差异性,海平面的变化幅度、变化时间、波动次数等均具有区域差异性。②北大西洋沿岸过去2000年以来海平面总体上呈现出波动上升趋势,但不同地区海平面上升高程相差较大,北大西洋西岸北美洲东部海平面上升超过2.5 m,格陵兰岛-冰岛、欧洲和美国南部和东南部海平面上升幅度约1.9 m,北海和地中海海平面上升幅度约1 m。③公元1900年以来,北大西洋东西沿岸海平面上升速率普遍加快,并呈现出明显的纬度差异,即北大西洋东岸从地中海到欧洲沿岸再到格陵兰岛-冰岛,随着纬度增加,海平面上升速率逐渐增加。类似的,北大西洋西岸美国南部和东南部到美国东部再到加拿大东部,随着纬度的增加,海平面上升速率也依次增加。④过去2000年北大西洋沿岸海平面变化及其时空差异性是多种因素综合作用的结果,气候冷暖交替、冰川均衡调整、大气-海洋动力学、区域构造以及沿岸地形的变化、沉积物压实和潮汐范围变化等可能是主要原因。     

Temporal-spatial oceanic variation in relation with the three typical Kuroshio paths south of Japan

Empirical orthogonal function(EOF) analysis was applied to a 50-year long time series of monthly mean positions of the Kuroshio path south of Japan from a regional reanalysis. Three leading EOF modes characterize the contributions from three typical paths of the Kuroshio meander: the typical large meander path, the offshore nonlarge meander path, and the nearshore non-large meander path, respectively. Accordingly, the spatial variation characteristics of oceanic anomaly fields can be depicted by...