The dynamics of the nanophytoplankton community in the coastal ecosystem of the Southern Bight (North Sea) during the winter–spring period

The seasonal dynamics of the nanophytoplankton community (pelagic algae 2–20 μm) was studied at a location in the Southern Bight (North Sea) from October 1993 through May 1994. During the study period the cell number and biomass of the nanoalgae varied between 10⁵–10⁶ cells dm⁻³ and 16–300 μg wet weight dm⁻³. Several ecological events seem common to the boreal coastal nanophytoplankton communities in the winter–spring period. These are: (1) abrupt fall in abundance at the beginning of winter (late October–early November); (2) winter minimum (December–March); (3) steady increase in cell number and biomass (April–May); followed by (4) the spring maximum occurring usually in May.     

Multidisciplinary Program of Field Studies of the Ecosystem in the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean (December 2019–March 2020)

Oceanology - The research program of the dynamics and ecosystem of the Drake Passage and Scotia Sea is scientifically substantiated. Measurements will be carried out by the interdepartmental...     

Top-down and bottom-up factors affecting seabird population trends in the California current system (1985–2006)

To characterize the environmental factors affecting seabird population trends in the central portion of the California current system (CCS), we analyzed standardized vessel-based surveys collected during the late spring (May–June) upwelling season over 22 yr (1985–2006). We tested the working hypothesis that population trends are related to species-specific foraging ecology, and predicted that temporal variation in population size should be most extreme in diving species with higher energy expenditure during foraging. We related variation in individual species abundance (number km^?2) to seasonally lagged (late winter, early spring, late spring) and concurrent ocean conditions, and to long-term trends (using a proxy variable: year) during a multi-decadal period of major fluctuations in the El Niño-Southern oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). We considered both remote (Multivariate ENSO Index, PDO) and local (coastal upwelling indices and sea-surface temperature) environmental variables as proxies for ocean productivity and prey availability. We also related seabird trends to those of potentially major trophic competitors, humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) and blue (Balaenoptera musculus) whales, which increased in number 4–5-fold midway during our study. Cyclical oscillations in seabird abundance were apparent in the black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), and decreasing trends were documented for ashy storm-petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa), pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columbus), rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata), Cassin’s auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus), and western gull (Larus occidentalis); the sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus), exhibited a marked decline before signs of recovery at the end of the study period. The abundance of nine other focal species varied with ocean conditions, but without decadal or long-term trends. Six of these species have the largest global populations in the CCS, and four are highly energetic, diving foragers. Furthermore, three of the diving species trends were negatively correlated with the abundance of humpback whales in the study area, a direct competitor for the same prey. Therefore, on the basis of literature reviewed, we hypothesize that the seabirds were affected by the decreasing carrying capacity of the CCS, over-exploitation of some prey stocks and interference competition from the previously exploited, but now increasing, baleen whale populations. Overall, our study highlights the complexity of the ecological factors driving seabird population trends in the highly variable and rapidly changing CCS ecosystem.     

Variability of the volume transport through the Korea/Tsushima Strait as inferred from the shipborne acoustic Doppler current profiler observations in 1997–2007

The 10-year series of observations of currents directed along the Korea/Tsushima Strait, which were measured with an acoustic Doppler current profiler aboard a ferry boat that cruised several times a week between the Hakata (Japan) and Pusan (South Korea) ports, is analyzed. Robust estimation methods are used to separate the tidal signal from the inhomogeneous series of the current data in the problem of the harmonic analysis. The MU2, NO1, PHI1, and J1 constituents have been estimated in addition to the MSF, MF, Q1, O1, P1, K1, N2, M2, S2, and K2 tidal harmonics detected previously. The annual variations in the amplitude of the M2 fundamental harmonic have also been taken into account. The current series cleared from the tidal signal has been processed in order to analyze the spatio-temporal variability of the volume transport through the Korea Strait. The normal annual velocity of the water inflow into the Japan Sea through the Korea Strait was 2.77 × 10⁶ m³ s^?1. The ratio of the flow rates in the eastern and western zones of the strait separated by the Tsushima Islands was 2/3. Considerable seasonal variations in the discharge are observed in the western strait zone: the flow rate annual maximum in October is 1.75 times as high as the minimum in February. An insignificant (not more than 0.1 × 10⁶ m³ s^?1 on average) southward flow can cross the eastern channel. Mesoscale vortices are generated in the lee of the Tsushima Islands when the northeastern current flows around them. The energy spectrum of the total nonseasonal flow rate through the Korea Strait has been constructed in the frequency range of 8–500 days. The spectrum has three significant maximums near periods of 10, 19, and 64 days. It has been indicated that this spectrum flattens at low frequencies (<0.1 day^?1) in the vicinity of the formation of mesoscale vortices behind the Tsushima Islands.     

Long-term variation in the salinity of the Southern Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass, 1976–2006

This paper discusses the long-term variation in the salinity of the Southern Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (SYSCWM) and examines factors influencing the SYSCWM based on hydrographic datasets of the China National Standard section and the Korea Oceanographic Data Center. The mean salinity at the center of the SYSCWM showed a decreasing long-term trend. In empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, the second EOF mode showed a similar long-term trend. The mean salinity of the center of the SYSCWM was related to the intrusion of saline water from the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC), the salinity of the source area of the YSWC, the evaporation minus precipitation (E–P) flux, and discharge from the Changjiang River. The decreasing salinity trend to the southwest of Cheju Island produced a freshening trend in the YSWC, resulting in a reduction in the salinity of the SYSCWM. The freshening trends of the water from the northwest Pacific and the South China Sea were seen as the reason for the decreasing salinity trend from the intrusion of water into the Yellow Sea (YS). The freshwater flux influenced the surface salinity and was brought to deep layers by strong mixing in winter. The mean E–P flux signal and Changjiang River discharge signal lagged the first principal component of the SYSCWM by approximately 5 months.     

Biological Research in the Siberian Arctic Seas in Summer–Autumn 2019 (Cruise of the R/V Professor Levanidov)

Oceanology - The article presents the results of hydrobiological, ichthyological, trophological, acoustic, and genetic research aboard the R/V Professor Levanidov in the Chukchi, East Siberian,...     

Study on fishery biology features of spawning group of Pseudopleuronectes yokamae(Gunther) in the Sheath Bay

Pseudopleuronectes yokamae (Günther) is one of the most important economic fish species in the genus living specially in the northwest Pacific, and is distributed in the southern area of the far east sea of Russia, Japan, Korea, the Huanghai Sea, the Bohai Sea and the northern area of the East China Sea. Usually they live in nearshore waters of these areas as geographic subpopulations. P. yokamae in the Sheath Bay belongs to a local group of the Huanghai-Bohai Sea subpopulation and is distributed in the mouth and adjacent waters of the bay all the year round, and the catch of its spawning group has     

Impacts of anthropogenic activities on the Changjiang(Yangtze)estuarine ecosystem(1998–2012)

Estuarine ecosystem has greatly changed in the recent decades due to anthropogenic perturbations in the Changjiang Estuary. Change patterns and impact factors were analyzed based on the continuous data...     

Studies of the planetary atmospheres in Russia (2007–2010)

An overview of results obtained in the field of planetary atmosphere studies in Russia in 2007?C2010 prepared by the Commission on Planetary Atmospheres of the National Geophysical Committee for the National Report on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences to the XXV General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (Melbourne, 28 June?C7 July 2011) [1, 2] is presented.     

Transport of Antarctic Bottom Water through passages in the East Azores Ridge (37° N) in the East Atlantic

The structure of northerly overflow of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) through passages in the East Azores Ridge (37° N) in the East Atlantic from the Madeira Basin to the Iberian Basin is studied on the basis of hydrographic measurements carried out by the Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in October 2011, historical World Ocean Data Base 2009, and recent data on the bottom topography. The overflow of the coldest layers of this water occurs through two passages with close depths at 16° W (Discovery Gap) and at 19°30′ W (nameless Western Gap). It is shown that it is likely that the role of the latter passage in water transport was underestimated in earlier publications because the water (2.01°C) found in the region north of the Western Gap was cooler than in the region north of the Discovery Gap (2.03°C). In 2011, we found a decrease of 0.01°C in the AABW temperature near the bottom compared to previous measurements in 1982 (from 2.011°C to 2.002°C). Analysis of the historical database shows that this decrease is most likely caused by the cooling trend in the abyssal waters in the East Atlantic basins.     

Surveys of mussels (Mollusca: Lamellibranchia) in the firth of Thames, 1961–67

Surveys are described which were made to determine distribution and relative density of stocks of mussels, Perna canaliculus Gmelin (Lamellibranchia: Anisomyaria; Mytilidae), in the Firth of Thames, North Island, New Zealand, during the late autumn‐early winter of each year 1961–63 and 1965–67.

Two dredges available for sampling were tested against one another over similar ground. Both gave comparable results, but although the one chosen was never actually calibrated, it gave consistent results which allowed relative changes of abundance to be studied.

In 1961, 206 stations were sampled on a grid of 1 square mile which covered most of the Firth. Early results showed that the densest beds were along the western shore line; there were only small patches of mussels off Coromandel and along the eastern shore. A well‐stocked and readily identifiable area of 2 square miles off Matingarahi Point was selected for more intensive sampling on a 1/16 square‐mile grid. Samples collected there annually showed a rapid decline of the population after commercial dredging in 1961–62; there was no substantial regeneration on the bottom after this, though satisfactory settlement occurred above the bottom on experimental moorings. Declining yields are shown for other areas (Ponui Island and New Brighton) which were also sampled on a 1/16 square‐mile grid.

Commercial landings of mussels decreased rapidly after 1961, and have not recovered. There have been no regular landings since 1966 but a promising private experiment in small‐scale cultivation is described.     

Petrogeochemistry and Ore Mineralization of Sericite–Quartz Schists of the Southern Slope of the Kashevarov Bank (Sea of Okhotsk)

Oceanology - Data on the structure and chemical and mineral composition of sericite–quartz schists of the southern slope of the Kashevarov Bank of the Sea of Okhotsk are presented. The...     

Spring distribution of larger (>64 μm) protozoans in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean

Distribution of larger protozoans (armoured dinoflagellates, tintinnids, heliozoans, radiolarians and foraminiferans >64 μm) is presented for three major water masses of the Southern Ocean: the Polar Front region (PFr), the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current (southern ACC) and the northern Weddell Gyre. Sampling took place during the SO-JGOFS cruise ANT X/6 of R/V Polarstern (October–November 1992) along a meridional transect at 6°W between 48°00′S and 59°30′S. Multinet samples (64 μm mesh size) were taken at six stations from the surface down to 500 m depth at five different depth intervals. In the upper 100 m of the water column abundances of larger protozoans varied between 94 and 10,930 ind. m^–3, with highest abundances in the PFr, where phytoplankton blooms occurred, and lowest values in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current–Weddell Gyre Boundary (AWB). Foraminiferans and polycystine and smaller (<300 μm) phaeodarian radiolarians dominated larger protozoan assemblages in the PFr. In open water of the southern ACC, tintinnids, armoured dinoflagellates, foraminiferans and smaller (<300 μm) phaeodarian radiolarians were equally important. The heliozoans Sticholonche spp. and nassellarian radiolarians dominated assemblages in the Weddell Gyre and AWB. Larger protozoan biomasses ranged between 2 and 674 μg C m⁻³ and were always dominated by larger (>300 μm) phaeodarians. Highest biomasses were found in the AWB between 200 and 500 m depth. Standing stocks of larger protozoans constituted a negligible fraction of zooplankton biomass in the upper 200 m of the water column. In deeper layers of the ice-covered Weddell Gyre and AWB their biomasses, dominated by larger (>300 μm) phaeodarians, was significant contributing up to 45% to total larger protozoan and metazoan biomass. Analysis of correlation between distribution patterns and environmental conditions at the stations sampled indicate that spring distribution patterns of heterotrophic armoured dinoflagellates, polycystine radiolarians and foraminiferans follow productivity in the water column. Of the protozoan groups studied the smaller (<300 μm) phaeodarian radiolarians also showed a significant correlation with productivity during spring, however, results from previous studies do not suggest a consistent pattern. Spring distribution patterns of other larger protozoans were not related to differences in productivity in the water column, and effects such as ice-cover, grazing or silica limitation might be determining. Dead radiolarian skeletons constituted on average 27, 8 and 11% of the population of nassellarians, spumellarians and smaller (<300 μm) phaeodarians, respectively. The contribution of dead radiolarian skeletons to total radiolarian stocks varied with depth and water mass. Differences between live and skeleton assemblages composition were observed. These differences should be taken into consideration when interpreting the geological record.     

Spatiotemporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae in the Huanghe(Yellow) River estuary,China in 2005–2016

Decreasing fish resources in estuaries is a subject of anthropogenic activities. Studies of the spatiotemporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae can help identify the status and processes underlying recruitment in a fishery. As the fifth largest river estuary in the world, the Huanghe (Yellow) River estuary (HRE) is a typical estuary that has been seriously aff ected by human activities. Annual surveys on ichthyoplankton and environmental factors were conducted in the months of May of 2005 and 2009-2016 in the HRE to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae and the associated infl uencing factors. A total of 23 and 20 species of eggs and larvae, respectively, were collected. The dominant orders were Perciformes (51.2%) and Clupeiformes (25.6%). The average number of fish species eggs and larvae were 6.0 and 4.1 in average abundance of 0.91 and 0.13 ind./m^3 , respectively. The dominant species were mainly low-commercial-value small-sized fishes, such as Clupanodon punctatus , Harengula zunasi, and Acanthogobius, whereas certain traditional commercial fishes, such as Trichiurus lepturus , and Clupea pallasii, were not seen. Analysis of the fish egg and larval community revealed four temporal assemblages and two spatial assemblages. Salinity was the main factor on the spatial distribution of ichthyoplankton communities, the species number and Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H′) of the fish egg and larval community near the river mouth with lower salinity were signifi cantly lower than the community far away from the river mouth with higher salinity. In addition, increases of water temperature promoted the number and abundance of fish species eggs, and the areas of abundant prey tended to have a more diversified and abundant of ichthyoplankton species. In overall, overfishing, dam construction, and other human activities were the main drivers that led to the substantial decline in fishery resources in the HRE.     

Seasonal variability of cohesive sediment aggregation in the Bach Dang–Cam Estuary, Haiphong (Vietnam)

In the Bach Dang–Cam Estuary, northern Vietnam, mechanisms governing cohesive sediment aggregation were investigated in situ in 2008–2009. As part of the Red River delta, this estuary exhibits a marked contrast in hydrological conditions between the monsoon and dry seasons. The impact on flocculation processes was assessed by means of surveys of water discharge, suspended particulate matter concentration and floc size distributions (FSDs) conducted during a tidal cycle at three selected sites along the estuary. A method was developed for calculating the relative volume concentration for the modes of various size classes from FSDs provided by the LISST 100X (Sequoia Scientific Inc.). It was found that all FSDs comprised four modes identified as particles/flocculi, fine and coarse microflocs, and macroflocs. Under the influence of the instantaneous turbulent kinetic energy, their proportions varied but without significant modification of their median diameters. In particular, when the turbulence level corresponded to a Kolmogorov microscale of less than ∼235 μm, a major breakup of flocs resulted in the formation of particles/flocculi and fine microflocs. Fluctuations in turbulence level were governed by seasonal variations in freshwater discharge and by the tidal cycle. During the wet season, strong freshwater input induced a high turbulent energy level that tended to generate sediment transfer from the coarser size classes (macroflocs, coarse microflocs) to finer ones (particles/flocculi and fine microflocs), and to promote a transport of sediment seawards. During the dry season, the influence of tides predominated. The turbulent energy level was then only episodically sufficiently high to generate transfer of sediment between floc size classes. At low turbulent energy, modifications in the proportions of floc size classes were due to differential settling. Tidal pumping produced a net upstream transport of sediment. Associated with the settling of sediment trapped in a near-bed layer at low turbulent energy, this causes the silting up of the waterways leading to the harbour of Haiphong.     

Climate Change in the Hydrometeorological Parameters of the Black and Azov Seas (1980–2020)

Oceanology - To study the nature of climate change in the hydrometeorological parameters of the Black and Azov Seas—surface air temperature (SAT), sea surface temperature (SST), ice cover,...     

Climatic variability in the vicinity of Wallis,Futuna, and Samoa islands (13°–15° S, 180°–170° W)

Mean conditions, seasonal, and ENSO-related (El Niño Southern Oscillation) variability in the vicinity of Wallis, Futuna, and Samoa islands (13°–15° S, 180°–170° W) over the 1973–1995 period are analysed for wind pseudo-stress, satellite-derived and in situ precipitation, sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity (SSS), sea level, and 0–450 m temperature and geostrophic current. The mean local conditions reflect the presence of the large scale features such as the western Pacific warm pool, the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ), and the South Pacific anticyclonic gyre. The seasonal changes are closely related to the meridional migrations of the SPCZ, which passes twice a year over the region of study. During the warm phase of ENSO (El Niño), we generally observe saltier-than-average SSS (of the order of 0.4), consistent with a rainfall deficit (0.4 m yr⁻¹), a hint of colder-than-average surface temperature is also identified in subsurface (0.3°C), a weak tendency for westward geostrophic current anomalies (2 cm s⁻¹ at the surface), a sea level decrease (5–10 cm), together with easterly (5 m²s⁻²) and well marked southerly (10 m²s⁻²) wind pseudo-stress anomalies. Anomalies of similar magnitude, but of opposite sign, are detected during the cold phase of ENSO (La Niña). While these ENSO-related changes apply prior to the 1990s, they were not observed during the 1991–1994 period, which appears atypical.     

Study on fishery biology features of spawning group of Pseudopleuronectes yokamae(Günther) in the Sheath Bay

Pseudopleuronectes yokamae (Günther) is one of the most important economic fish species in the genus living specially in the northwest Pacific, and is distributed in the southern area of the far east sea of Russia, Japan, Korea, the Huanghai Sea, the Bohai Sea and the northern area of the East China Sea. Usually they live in nearshore waters of these areas as geographic subpopulations. P. yokamae in the Sheath Bay belongs to a local group of the Huanghai-Bohai Sea subpopulation and is distributed in the mouth and adjacent waters of the bay all the year round, and the catch of its spawning group has important economic value in the area. In this paper the fishery biology features of spawning group of P. yokamae in the Sheath Bay is systematically studied to give biology evidence for proper utilization and the multiplification of its resources.