Review of recent findings on the water masses and circulation in the East Sea (Sea of Japan)

Recent findings on water masses, biogeochemical tracers, deep currents and basin-scale circulation in the East/Japan Sea, and numerical modeling of its circulation are reviewed. Warming continues up to 2007 despite an episode of bottom water formation in the winter of 2000–2001. Water masses have definitely changed since the 1970s and further changes are expected due to the continuation of warming. Accumulation of current data in deep waters of the East/Japan Sea reveals that the circulation in the East/Japan Sea is primarily cyclonic with sub-basin scale cyclonic and anticyclonic cells in the Ulleung Basin (Tsushima Basin). Our understanding of the circulation of intermediate water masses has been deepened through high-resolution numerical studies, and the implementation of data assimilation has had initial success. However, the East/Japan Sea is unique in terms of the fine vertical structures of physical and biogeochemical properties of cold water mass measured at the highest precision and their rapid change with the global warming, so that full understanding of the structures and their change requires in-depth process studies with continuous monitoring programs.     

盐胁迫对番茄同工酶基因表达的影响

分析了普通番茄（Lycopersicumesculentum）在NaCl胁迫下酯酶（EST）和过氧化物酶（PRX）同工酶的变化，考察了盐胁迫对10个同工酶位点21个等位基因在特定组织中表达的影响。发现许多EST和PRX等位基因在盐胁迫下表达，产生盐诱导同工酶；另有些等位基因的表达受盐抑制，它们在盐胁迫下的表达活性显著减弱或消失。实验表明，EST和PRX同工酶表达的变化与番茄对盐胁迫的遗传适应性有密切关系。     

Thermal effects on the growth and fatty acid composition of four harmful algal bloom species: Possible implications for ichthyotoxicity

Little is known regarding how harmful algal bloom species respond to different temperatures in terms of fatty acid production. This study examined the effects of temperature on the growth rates, cell volumes, and fatty acid concentrations and compositions of four harmful algal bloom species (HABs), Akashiwo sanguinea, Alexandrium tamarense, Chattonella ovata, and Prorocentrum minimum. The HABs species were cultured at 15, 20, 25, and 30°C in a nutrient-enriched medium. Three of the species maintained optimal growth rates over a wide range of temperatures, but A. tamarense did not. The cell volumes of each species showed little change over the temperature range. The total fatty acid concentrations in A. sanguinea, A. tamarense and C. ovata decreased as the temperature increased, but P. minimum showed no trend in this respect. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), the key biochemical components that maintain cell membrane fluidity and which are associated with toxicity, decreased in both concentration and proportion of total fatty acids as temperature increased, except in A. sanguinea, in which the proportion of PUFAs to the total fatty acids increased. These reductions in PUFA concentration and proportion could reduce cell membrane fluidity and toxicity in HABs; however, enhanced growth and/or ruptured cells, which are considered more toxic than intact cells, could compensate for the reduced per-cell toxicity. This phenomenon might impact on the marine ecosystem and aquaculture industry.     

Forearc structures and tectonics in the southern Peru—northern Chile Continental Margin

SeaMARC II side-scan images, bathymetry, and single-channel seismic reflection data along the southern Peru—northern Chile forearc area between 16° and 23° S reveal a complex region of morpho-structural, submarine drainage and depression patterns. In the subducting plate area, the NW—SE trending primary normal fault system represented by trench-paralleled scarps was incipiently formed as the Nazca Plate was bent in the outer edge and further intensified as the plate approached the trench. The NE—SW trending secondary normal fault system that consists of discontinuous and smaller faults, usually intersect the primary trench-paralleled fault system. Similar to the Nazca Plate, the overriding continental plate also shows two major NW—SE and NE—SW trending fault systems represented by fault scarps or narrow elongated depressions.The submarine drainage systems represented by a series of canyon and channel courses appear to be partly controlled by the faults and exhibit a pattern similar to the onshore drainage which flows into the central region of the coastal area. Two large depressions occurring along the middle—upper slope areas of the continental margin are recognized as collapse and slump that perhaps are a major result of increased slope gradient. The subsidence of the forearc area in the southern Peru—northern Chile Continental Margin is indicated by: a) drainage systems flowing into the central region, b) the slope collapse and slumps heading to the central region, c) the deepening of the trench and inclining of the lower slope terrace to the central region, and d) submerging of the upper-slope ridge and the Peru—Chile Coast Range off the Arica Bight area.The subsidence of the forearc area in the southern Perunorthern Chile margin is probably attributed to a subduction erosion which causes wearing away and removal of the rock and sedimentary masses of the overriding plate as the Nazca Plate subducts under the South American Plate.     

临汾盆地晚冰期至中全新世黄土-古土壤序列的风化特征及指示的气候意义

了解中国北方晚冰期和全新世时期的气候环境变化及其驱动机制,有助于预测未来气候变化的可能情景。基于黄土高原东南缘临汾盆地的黄土-古土壤剖面,在3个AMS14C年代的支持下,通过粒度、磁化率、土壤有机碳以及地球化学元素等指标,重建了临汾盆地晚冰期至中全新世晚期的气候变化历史。结果表明：宋村沟剖面的黄土和古土壤分别处于初等和中等化学风化阶段,而不同地区风成堆积物的化学风化强度存在明显差异,主要受控于东亚夏季风的区域变化。多指标综合分析表明,晚冰期以来临汾盆地的气候演变经历了4个阶段：晚冰期东亚冬季风较强,气候干冷;早全新世东亚夏季风强化,气候向暖湿转变;早中全新世东亚夏季风达到峰值,为最暖湿的适宜期;中全新世晚期东亚夏季风减弱,气候再次转向干冷;临汾盆地的气候变化主要受控于北半球太阳辐射强度和冰量的变化。     

福建省万寿岩遗址船帆洞植硅体组合特征及其环境意义

万寿岩遗址位于福建省三明市,遗址之一的船帆洞中曾生活过两期古人类（40～37 kaBP和30～29 kaBP）。在第一期古人类的文化层中发现的人工石铺地面在我国旧石器考古中属重要发现,对研究末次冰期古人类生存环境具有重大意义。对船帆洞沉积物的植硅体分析显示,尖型植硅体和棒型植硅体数量比较占优势,扇型和块状植硅体含量其次,短细胞植硅体形态中鞍型的含量较多。结合聚类分析结果可将剖面至下而上划分为5个气候带,气候环境依次为凉干-冷干-冷偏干-凉偏干-温凉偏干。第一期古人类生活于带I底部,为凉干背景下较温暖的气候环境;第二期古人类生活于带Ⅳ上部,为凉偏干背景下较温暖的气候环境。植硅体的变化特征较好地指示了H4和H3事件,分别对应两期文化层。两次Heinrich事件改变了古人类的生存环境,推测是两期古人类离开船帆洞的主要原因。     

Assessing Cryptic Invasion State: Fine-Scale Genetic Analysis of Ciona savignyi Population in Putative Native Habitat of the Korean Coast

The solitary ascidian, Ciona savignyi (Ascidiacea, Enterogona) is a notorious marine invader still expanding its habitat range worldwide. This species is considered native to the North West Pacific, but its indigeneity in Korean coastal waters has been questioned because of outdated taxonomic records and its inhabitation of oceanographically marginal areas. To clarify their cryptic invasion state, 247 individual C. savignyi samples were collected from 12 harbors and marinas on the Korean coast, and a 744 bp region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene was sequenced and analyzed. Our analyses of population genetic structure and demographic history provided considerable pieces of evidence supporting their long-term establishment on the Korean coasts: differentiated population genetic structure, sequentially arrayed star-shape haplotype network, neutrality test results of past population expansions, and post-glacial colonization pattern of demography. Consequently, we concluded that C. savignyi populations on the Korean Coast are indigenous rather than exotic. These results could be used as reference data for further phylogeo graphic and demographic studies of problematic Ciona species, and to clarify and resolve similar cryptic invasion states of the other Korean coastal marine organisms. This study is the first to resolve the cryptic in vasion state of Korean marine organisms using genetic analysis.

     

A note on solitary waves along potential vorticity fronts on anf-plane

The effects of short waves on the propagration of velocity discontinuity along the interface of two uniform potential vorticity, zones on anf-plane is examined. It is shown, using a multiple scale analysis, that the dispersion introduced by the short waves can balance the nonlinear steepening effects predicted by the semigeostrophic theory. The time evolution of a shear disturbance along the front is governed by a Korteweg-de Vries equation. Numerical solutions of the solitary waves along the front are presented.