Changes in fish diversity and community structure in the central and southern Yellow Sea from 2003 to 2015

The central and southern Yellow Sea is an important overwintering ground for many fish species in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea. For better understanding the status of the fish community after years of heavy exploitation, variations in fish community structure and diversity were analyzed using data from bottom trawls during 2003–2015. Five fish assemblage indices all showed fluctuations without clear trends from 2003 to 2015, yet there were strong positive and significant correlations(P 0.05) among them. The top-five dominant species accounted for a high weight percentage(49.7%–82.1%) in the annual fish catch. Multivariate analysis showed that two year groups could be pooled for the fish community: Group Ⅰ consisted of the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2015, while Group Ⅱ consisted of the years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2014; the groups aggregated with 63.71% similarity, indicating a high level of similarity among all years. The multivariate dispersion values were 1.455 and 0.818 for Groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ, respectively, indicating greater variances in fish assemblage structure in Group Ⅰ than that in Group Ⅱ. Similarity of percentage analysis demonstrated that the average similarities for Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ were 71.58% and 67.51%, respectively. Size-spectra analysis revealed no consistent trend in the intercept and slope( P 0.05); there were also no significant differences between the slope of the size-spectra and fishing ef fort. The catch per unit ef fort and mean individual weight analyses of the whole fish assemblage both showed a significantly decreasing trend over time. Overall, the results showed that the fish community structure in the central and southern Yellow Sea was relatively stable from 2003 to 2015 and the study could be used as a reference for supporting ecosystem-based fishery management.     

DNA barcode assessment of Ceramiales (Rhodophyta) in the intertidal zone of the northwestern Yellow Sea

A total of 142 specimens of Ceramiales(Rhodophyta) were collected each month from October 2011 to November 2012 in the intertidal zone of the northwestern Yellow Sea. These specimens covered 21 species,14 genera,and four families. Cluster analyses show that the specimens had a high diversity for the three DNA markers,namely,partial large subunit r RNA gene(LSU),universal plastid amplicon(UPA),and partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene(COI). No intraspecific divergence was found in our collection for these markers,except for a 1–3 bp divergence in the COI of Ceramium kondoi,Symphyocladia latiuscula,and Neosiphonia japonica. Because short DNA markers were used,the phylogenetic relationships of higher taxonomic levels were hard to evaluate with poor branch support. More than half species of our collection failed to find their matched sequences owing to shortage information of DNA barcodes for macroalgae in Gen Bank or BOLD(Barcode of Life Data) Systems. Three specimens were presumed as H eterosiphonia crispella by cluster analyses on DNA barcodes assisted by morphological identification,which was the first record in the investigated area,implying that it might be a cryptic or invasive species in the coastal area of northwestern Yellow Sea. In the neighbor-joining trees of all three DNA markers,H eterosiphonia japonica converged with D asya spp. and was distant from the other Heterosiphonia spp.,implying that H. japonica had affinities to the genus Dasya. The LSU and UPA markers amplified and sequenced easier than the COI marker across the Ceramiales species,but the COI had a higher ability to discriminate between species.     

Population genetic structure of the mantis shrimp Oratosquilla oratoria(Crustacea: Squillidae) in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The mantis shrimp O ratosquilla oratoria is an ecologically and economically important species in the Western Pacific. In present study, the population genetic structure of O ratosquilla oratoria from the Yellow Sea and East China Sea was examined with mitochondrial DNA control region sequences. In total, 394 samples were collected from 18 locations and 102 haplotypes were obtained. For the Yellow Sea, the overall nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity were 0.006 9 and 0.946 8, respectively; while across all the East China Sea locations, the overall nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity were 0.027 94 and 0.979 0, respectively. The results of AMOVA and pairwise F_(ST)(0.145 2, P 0.001) revealed moderate differentiation between the Yellow Sea and East China Sea populations of O. oratoria. However, neither the neighbor-joining tree nor haplotype network showed clades with geographic pattern, which indicated considerable gene flow was existed between the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, and supporting the high larval dispersal ability in this species. Mismatch distribution analysis and neutrality tests suggested that O. oratoria has undergone population expansion event, and the Pleistocene glacial cycles might have an impact on the historical demography of O. oratoria. The genetic information obtained in this study can provide useful information for sustainable improvements for capture fisheries management strategies.     

General features of polar lows over the Japan Sea and the Northwestern Pacific

INTRODUCTIONPolarlowsareintensemeso scalecyclonesthatformincoldairstreamsofthepolarairmass.Theyhavehorizontalscalesoftheorderofseveralhundredkilometers;severalhourstoseveraldayslifecycles;andusuallydevelopoverhighlatitudeoceansinwinter,forexample ,theGulfofAlaska(1 3 5-1 60°W ,50 -60°N) ,theBarentsSea (2 0 -50°E ,65-75°N) ,theLabradorSea (50 -60°W ,55-65°N)andtheNorwegianSea (5°W -1 0°E ,60 -70°N) .Onsatelliteimages ,polarlowsareoftencharacterizedbytight,spiralcloudpatterns…     

Seasonal evolution of circulation and thermal structure in the Yellow Sea

In this paper, the authors used the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) to simulate the seasonal evolutions of circulation and thermal structure in the Yellow Sea. The simulated circulation showed that the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) was a compensation current of monsoon-driven current, and that in winter, the YSWC became stronger with depth, and could flow across the Bohai Strait in the north. Sensitivity and controlling tests led to the following conclusions, In winter, the direction of the Yellow Sea Coastal Current in the surface layer was controlled partly by tide instead of wind, In summer, a cyclonic horizontal gyre existed in the middle and eastern parts of the Yellow Sea below 10 m. The downwelling in upper layer and upwelling in lower layer were somehow similar to Hu et al. (1991) conceptual model. The calculated thermal structure showed an obvious northward extending YSWC tongue in winter, its position and coverage of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass in summer.     

Community structure changes of macrobenthos in the South Yellow Sea

The ecological environment in the Yellow Sea has changed greatly from the 1950s to 1990s and this has had significant impact on marine organisms. In this study, data on soft-sediment macrobenthos occurring in depths from 25 m to 81 m in the South Yellow Sea were used to compare changes in community structure. The agglomerative classification (CLUSTER) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) methods were applied. Five communities were recognized by cluster analysis: 1. The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass community dominated by cold water species, which changed slightly in species composition since the 1950s; 2. The mixed community with the coexistence of cold water species and warm water species, as had been reported previously; 3. The polychaete-dominated eurythermal community in which the composition changed considerably as some dominant species disappeared or decreased; 4. The Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuarine community, with some typical estuarine species; 5. The community affected by the Yellow Sea Warm Current. The greatest change occurred in the coastal area, which indicated that the change may be caused by human activities. Macrobenthos in the central region remained almost unchanged, particularly the cold water species shielded by the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass. The depth, temperature and median grain size of sediments were important factors affecting the distributions of macrobenthos in the South Yellow Sea.     

Annual variation in Calanus sinicus abundance and population structure in the northern boundary area of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass

The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass （YSCWM） was suggested as an over-summering site of the dominant copepod species Calanus sinicus in coastal Chinese seas. Population abundance and structure were investigated by monthly sampling along three transects across the northern boundary of the YSCWM during 2009-2010. Results show that thermal stratification existed from June to October and that the vertical thermal difference increased with depth. Generally, total abundance was lowest in October and highest in June, and the female/male sex ratio was highest in February and lowest in August. Evident spatial differences in abundance were observed during the existence of the YSCWM. In June, total abundance averaged 158.8 ind/m~ at well-stratified stations, and 532.1 ind/m3 at other stations. Similarly, high abundances of 322.0 and 324.4 ind/m3 were recorded from July to August inside the YSCWM, while the abundance decreased from 50.4 to 1.9 ind/m3 outside the water mass. C. sinicus distribution tended to even out over the study area in September when the YSCWM disappeared. We believe that the YSCWM may retard population recruitment in spring and preserve abundant cohorts in summer. The summer population was transported to neritic waters in autumn. In addition to low temperatures, stable vertical structure was also an essential condition for preservation of the summer population. C. sinicus can survive the summer in marginal areas in high abundance, but the population structure is completely different in terms of C5 proportion and sex ratio.     

Picophytoplankton abundance and community structure in the Philippine Sea,western Pacific

Flow cytometric determinations of the abundance distribution and community structure of picophytoplankton (i.e.,Prochlorococcus spp.,orange fluorescence Synechococcus spp.and picoeukaryotes) were used for samples taken from the Philippine Sea in the western tropical Pacific Ocean from September to October of 2004.A fluorescence probe was employed to detect Chlorophyll a (Chl a).Abundances of Prochlorococcus spp.,orange fluorescence Synechococcus spp.and picoeukaryotes ranged from 0.1 to 58×103 cells ml-1,0.38 to 17×102 cells ml-1 and 0.42 to 26×102 cells ml-1,respectively.Synechococcus spp.and picoeukaryotes co-occurred in relatively shallow water with the maximum abundance observed at 50 to 70 m depth,while Prochlorococcus spp.only occurred in the 70 to 200 m layer.Prochlorococcus spp.was the dominant picophytoplankton population in terms of abundance and biomass.The cell size and carbon biomass content were estimated for the three picophytoplankton groups.In addition,among the three groups of picophytoplankton,the relative contribution of red fluorescence to the total red fluorescence varied with depth.The fluorescence and light scatter properties of individual cells indicated that in the upper 100 m layer,picoeukaryotes were a major contributor to total red fluorescence,while at the depth below 100 m,Prochlorococcus spp.and Synechococcus spp.made an important contribution to the total red fluorescence.     

Picophytoplankton abundance and community structure in the Philippine Sea, western Pacific

Flow cytometric determinations of the abundance distribution and community structure of picophytoplankton (i.e., Prochlorococcus spp., orange fluorescence Synechococcus spp. and picoeukaryotes) were used for samples taken from the Philippine Sea in the western tropical Pacific Ocean from September to October of 2004. A fluorescence probe was employed to detect Chlorophyll a (Chl a). Abundances of Prochlorococcus spp., orange fluorescence Synechococcus spp. and picoeukaryotes ranged from 0.1 to 58×10³ cells ml^?1, 0.38 to 17×10² cells ml^?1 and 0.42 to 26×10² cells ml^?1, respectively. Synechococcus spp. and picoeukaryotes co-occurred in relatively shallow water with the maximum abundance observed at 50 to 70 m depth, while Prochlorococcus spp. only occurred in the 70 to 200 m layer. Prochlorococcus spp. was the dominant picophytoplankton population in terms of abundance and biomass. The cell size and carbon biomass content were estimated for the three picophytoplankton groups. In addition, among the three groups of picophytoplankton, the relative contribution of red fluorescence to the total red fluorescence varied with depth. The fluorescence and light scatter properties of individual cells indicated that in the upper 100 m layer, picoeukaryotes were a major contributor to total red fluorescence, while at the depth below 100 m, Prochlorococcus spp. and Synechococcus spp. made an important contribution to the total red fluorescence.     

Spatiotemporal distributions and environmental drivers of diversity and community structure of nosZ-type denitrifiers and anammox bacteria in sediments of the Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea,China

Denitrification and anammox processes are major nitrogen removal processes in coastal ecosystems.However,the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors of the diversity and community structure of involved functional bacteria have not been well illustrated in coastal environments,especially in human-dominated ecosystems.In this study,we investigated the distributions of denitrifiers and anammox bacteria in the eutrophic Bohai Sea and the northern Yellow Sea of China in May and November of2012 by constructing clone libraries employing nosZ and 16 S rRNA gene biomarkers.The diversity of nosZ-denitrifier was much higher at the coastal sites compared with the central sites,but not significant among basins or seasons.Alphaproteobacteria were predominant and prevalent in the sediments,whereas Betaproteobacteria primarily occurred at the site near the Huanghe(Yellow)River estuary.Anammox bacteria Candidatus Scalindua was predominant in the sediments,and besides,Candidatus Brocadia and Candidatus Kuenenia were also detected at the site near the Huanghe River estuary that received strong riverine and anthropogenic impacts.Salinity was the most important in structuring communities of nosZdenitrifier and anammox bacteria.Additionally,anthropogenic perturbations(e.g.nitrogen overloading and consequent high primary productivity,and heavy metal discharges)contributed significantly to shaping community structures of denitrifier and anammox bacteria,suggesting that anthropogenic activities would influence and even change the ecological function of coastal ecosystems.     

Tracing the settlement region of massive floating green algae in the Yellow Sea

Outbreaks of large-scale green tides formed by Ulva prolifera in the Yellow Sea(YS)cause heavy ecological damages and huge economic losses.However,the ecological consequences of green tides remain poorly understood due to the lack of knowledge on the settlement region of massive green algae floating in the YS.In this study,we established a method to trace the settlement region of floating green algae,using 28-isofucosterol preserved in sediment as the specific biomarker for green algae.Sterols including 28-isofucosterol in surface sediment samples collected during an investigation in the YS and the Bohai Sea(BS)in August 2015 were analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer(GC-MS).Based on the content of 28-isofucosterol in sediment samples,the potential settlement region of loating green algae was identified in the sea area southeast to the Shandong Peninsula around the sampling site H06(122.66°E,36.00°N).This paper presents a first result on the settlement region of floating green algae in the YS for providing a solid basis to elucidate the ecological consequences of green tides in the area.     

Seasonal variations of net-phytoplankton community structure in the southern Yellow Sea

Based on the field survey data of four cruises in 2011, all phytoplankton communities in the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) were investigated for the species composition, dominant species, abundance and diversity indices. A total of 379 species belonging to 9 phyla were identified, of which the most abundant group was Bacillariophyta (60.9%), followed by Pyrrophyta (23.7%) and Haptophyta (6.9%). The seasonal distribution of abundance was: summer (4137.1×10³ ind m^?3) > spring (3940.4×10³ ind m^?3) > winter (3010.6×10³ ind m^?3) > autumn (340.8 ×10³ ind m^?3), while the horizontal distribution showed a decreasing tendency from inshore to offshore regions. The dominant species of phytoplankton varied in different seasons. The dominant species were Thalassiosira pacifica, Skeletoema spp. and Chaetoceros cinctus in spring, Chaetoceros debbilis, Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus and Chaetoceros curvisetus in summer, Thalassiosira curviseriata, Alexandrium catenella and Ceratium fusus in autumn, Paralia sulcata, Phaeocystis sp. and Bacillaria paradoxa in winter, respectively. In SYS, the group of temperate coastal species was the major ecotype, and the groups of the central SYS species and oceanic species were also important constituents. The average values of Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H’) and Pielou evenness index (J) were 2.37 and 0.65 respectively. The indices H’ and J in the open sea were higher than those in coastal waters. Obvious co-variation tendencies between H’ and J were observed in all but the summer cruise of this survey.     

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.     

Trophic interactions, ecosystem structure and function in the southern Yellow Sea

The southern Yellow Sea is an important fishing ground, providing abundant fishery resources. However, overfishing and climate change have caused a decline in the resource and damaged the ecosystem. We developed an ecosystem model to analyze the trophic interactions and ecosystem structure and function to guide sustainable development of the ecosystem. A trophic mass-balance model of the southern Yellow Sea during 2000–2001 was constructed using Ecopath with Ecosim software. We defined 22 important functional groups and studied their diet composition. The trophic levels of fish, shrimp, crabs, and cephalopods were between 2.78 and 4.39, and the mean trophic level of the fisheries was 3.24. The trophic flows within the food web occurred primarily in the lower trophic levels. The mean trophic transfer efficiency was 8.1%, of which 7.1% was from primary producers and 9.3% was from detritus within the ecosystem. The transfer efficiency between trophic levels II to III to IV to V to >V was 5.0%, 5.7%, 18.5%, and 19.7%–20.4%, respectively. Of the total flow, phytoplankton contributed 61% and detritus contributed 39%. Fishing is defined as a top predator within the ecosystem, and has a negative impact on most commercial species. Moreover, the ecosystem had a high gross efficiency of the fishery and a high value of primary production required to sustain the fishery. Together, our data suggest there is high fishing pressure in the southern Yellow Sea. Based on analysis of Odum’s ecological parameters, this ecosystem was at an immature stage. Our results provide some insights into the structure and development of this ecosystem.     

Phytoplankton diversity in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea measured by PCR-DGGE and its relationships with environmental factors

Relationships between phytoplankton community composition and environmental variables in the East China Sea (ECS) and Yellow Sea (YS) were investigated using geochemical and molecular microbiology methods. The diversity of phytoplankton was characterized using cultivation-independent PCR-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Groups resulting from unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages clustering of the DGGE profiles showed good consistency with the eco-environmental characteristics of the sea area they belonged to. Additionally, the clustering results based on DGGE fingerprinting and those based on morphological compositions were practically identical. The relationship of phytoplankton diversity to environmental factors was statistically analyzed. Temperature, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), and silicate-Si were found significantly related to the phytoplankton community composition. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was performed to reveal the relationship between community composition and these three environmental factors. Generally, values of the ECS are clearly separated from those of the YS in the CCA biplot, due to mainly the effect of temperature and DIN.     

Phytoplankton diversity in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea measured by PCR-DGGE and its relationships with environmental factors

Relationships between phytoplankton community composition and environmental variables in the East China Sea (ECS) and Yellow Sea (YS) were investigated using geochemical and molecular microbiology methods. The diversity of phytoplankton was characterized using cultivation-independent PCR-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Groups resulting from unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages clustering of the DGGE profiles showed good consistency with the eco-environmental characteristics of the sea area they belonged to. Additionally, the clustering results based on DGGE fingerprinting and those based on morphological compositions were practically identical. The relationship of phytoplankton diversity to environmental factors was statistically analyzed. Temperature, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), and silicate-Si were found significantly related to the phytoplankton community composition. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was performed to reveal the relationship between community composition and these three environmental factors. Generally, values of the ECS are clearly separated from those of the YS in the CCA biplot, due to mainly the effect of temperature and DIN.     

Statistic characteristics of thermal structure in the southern Yellow Sea in summer

Based on the temperature data along 34°N, 35°N and 36°N sections in August from 1977 to 2003, the structure and formation of the Southern Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (SYSCWM) and its responses to El Nino events are analyzed. Results show that: (1) There exist double cold cores under the main thermocline along the 35°N and 36°N sections. Also, double warm cores exist above the main thermocline along the 36°N section. (2) Thermocline dome by upwelling separates the upper warm water into two parts, the eastern and western warm waters. Additionally, the circulation structure caused by upwelling along the cold front and northeastward current along the coast in summer is the main reasons of double warm cores along the 36°N section. The intermediate cold water is formed in early spring and moves eastward slowly, which results in the formation of the western one of double cold cores. (3) Position of the thermocline dome and its intensity vary interannually, which is related to El Nino events. However, the     

Increased diversity and environmental threat of harmful algal blooms in the Southern Yellow Sea,China

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - Harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Southern Yellow Sea (SYS) have shown a trend of increasing diversity and detrimental effects. While the Bohai Sea, East...     

Last 150-year variability in Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) abundance based on the anaerobic sediments of the Yellow Sea Basin in the western North Pacific

Relatively short historical catch records show that anchovy populations have exhibited large variability over multi-decadal timescales. In order to understand the driving factors (anthropogenic and/or natural) of such variability, it is essential to develop long-term time series of the population prior to the occurrence of notable anthropogenic impact. Well-preserved fish scales in the sediments are regarded as useful indicators reflecting the fluctuations of fish populations over the last centuries. This study aims to validate the anchovy scale deposition rate as a proxy of local anchovy biomass in the Yellow Sea adjoining the western North Pacific. Our reconstructed results indicated that over the last 150 years, the population size of anchovy in the Yellow Sea has exhibited great fluctuations with periodicity of around 50 years, and the pattern of current recovery and collapse is similar to that of historical records. The pattern of large-scale population synchrony with remote ocean basins provides further evidence proving that fish population dynamics are strongly affected by global and basin-scale oceanic/climatic variability.     

Bacterial diversity in surface water of the Yellow Sea during and after a green alga tide in 2008

From May to August 2008, a large "green tide", consisting of the alga Ulva (Enteromorpha) prolifera, occurred in the Yellow Sea, China, affecting the local marine ecosystem and human activities. We investigated the influence of the green tide on the microbial community in the surface seawater, at four sites from July to August 2008, using bacterial 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. We sequenced 228 clones of unique patterns identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. The results show that 228 sequenced clones fell into six bacterial phyla:Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, and Planctomycetes. Alphaproteobacteria (33%), Gammaproteobacteria (25%), Bacteroidetes (23%) and Cyanobacteria (9%) dominated the assemblage. Comparison between samples collected in July (during the tide) and those collected in August (after the tide) showed that, in the microbial community, diversities of Alphaproteobacteria and Cyanobacteria increased after the tide, while those of Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes decreased. These results indicate that the green tide influenced the growth of some bacteria, and provide information for further studies on the interactions and relationships between U. prolifera and the bacterial community. This study suggests that microbial community analysis is a good approach to monitoring green tides.