Authigenic iron oxide formation in the estuarine mixing zone of the Yangtze River

Estuaries are elementary geochemical fronts where river water and seawater mix. Within this mixing zone, iron and other non-conservative elements can undergo complex reactions to form new solid phases. In order to understand authigenic iron oxide formation in the Yangtze River Estuary, two onsite water-mixing sets of experiments were conducted, one by mixing variable amounts of unfiltered Yangtze River water with filtered East China Sea water of different salinity (set 1), the other by mixing variable amounts of filtered Yangtze River water with filtered East China Sea water of different salinity (set 2). In set 2, the minerals newly formed in the course of mixing were investigated by means of a scanning electron microscope fitted with an energy-dispersive X-ray analytical system. It was found that ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite were formed in these mixing experiments, coexisting in nearly equal amounts. These iron oxides appear as aggregated particles with a large grain-size range of several microns to more than 100 μm. The electrolytic properties of seawater played an important role in the formation of these authigenic iron oxides. Kaolinite and organic aggregates were also found in the experimentally mixed pre-filtered waters. Amounts of newly formed suspended matter (set 2) were one to three orders of magnitude lower than those of total suspended matter (TSM) (set 1). This implies that newly formed minerals represent only a very small proportion of TSM in the estuarine mixing zone of the Yangtze River.     

Silver in Tokyo Bay estuarine waters and Japanese rivers

Dissolved and particulate concentrations of silver in Tokyo Bay estuarine waters and Japanese rivers were determined in this study. The dissolved silver concentrations in the surface water of Tokyo Bay range from 5.9 to 15.1 pmol kg⁻¹, which is comparable to those in the surface water of the Japan Sea, but two or three times higher than those in the surface water of the open ocean. However, elevated concentrations of dissolved silver are not found in Tokyo Bay compared with those in other highly urbanized estuaries, such as San Francisco Bay (20∼243 pmol kg⁻¹). In the Tokyo Bay estuary, silver typically exhibits non-conservative mixing behavior, which is a common feature in the other estuaries reported previously. Dissolved silver concentrations decrease with salinity from the rivers to the mouth of Tokyo Bay. Silver is efficiently scavenged by suspended particulates, as evidenced by the high conditional distribution coefficients for silver throughout the estuary (log K_d > 5.0 ± 0.6). The silver fluxes into Tokyo Bay via inflowing rivers and atmospheric deposition were estimated as 83 kg y⁻¹ and 15 kg y⁻¹, respectively. A simple budget calculation shows that the silver supplied from rivers and atmosphere must be rapidly scavenged within the Tokyo Bay estuary.     

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition in sediment pore waters from the Shenhu area,northern South China Sea

The Shenhu area is one of the most favorable places for the occurrence of gas hydrates in the northern continental slope of the South China Sea. Pore water samples were collected in two piston cores (SH-A and SH-B) from this area, and the concentrations of sulfate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition were measured. The data revealed large DIC variations and very negative δ ¹³C-DIC values. Two reaction zones, 0–3 mbsf and below 3 mbsf, are identified in the sediment system. At site SH-A, the upper zone (0–3 mbsf) shows relatively constant sulfate and DIC concentrations and δ ¹³C-DIC values, possibly due to bioturbation and fluid advection. The lower zone (below 3 mbsf) displays good linear gradients for sulfate and DIC concentrations, and δ ¹³C-DIC values. At site SH-B, both zones show linear gradients, but the decreasing gradients for δ ¹³C-DIC and SO₄ ²⁻ in the lower zone below 3 mbsf are greater than those from the upper zone, 0–3 mbsf. The calculated sulfate-methane interface (SMI) depths of the two cores are 10.0 m and 11.1 m, respectively. The depth profiles of both DIC and δ ¹³C-DIC showed similar characteristics as those in other gas hydrate locations in the world oceans, such as the Blake Ridge. Overall, our results indicate an anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) process in the sediments with large methane flux from depth in the studied area, which might be linked to the formation of gas hydrates in this area.     

<Superscript>234</Superscript>Th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>U disequilibrium and particulate organic carbon export in the northern South China Sea

We utilized ²³⁴Th, a naturally occurring radionuclide, to quantify the particulate organic carbon (POC) export rates in the northern South China Sea (SCS) based on data collected in July 2000 (summer), May 2001 (spring) and November 2002 (autumn). Th-234 deficit was enhanced with depth in the euphotic zone, reaching a subsurface maximum at the Chl-a maximum in most cases, as commonly observed in many oceanic regimes. Th-234 was in general in equilibrium with ²³⁸U at a depth of ∼100 m, the bottom of the euphotic zone. In this study the ²³⁴Th deficit appeared to be less significant in November than in July and May. A surface excess of ²³⁴Th relative to ²³⁸U was found in the summer over the shelf of the northern SCS, most likely due to the accumulation of suspended particles entrapped by a salinity front. Comparison of the ²³⁴Th fluxes from the upper 10 m water column between 2-D and traditional 1-D models revealed agreement within the errors of estimation, suggesting the applicability of the 1-D model to this particular shelf region. 1-D model-based ²³⁴Th fluxes were converted to POC export rates using the ratios of bottle POC to ²³⁴Th. The values ranged from 5.3 to 26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹ and were slightly higher than those in the southern SCS and other oligotrophic areas. POC export overall showed larger values in spring and summer than in autumn, the seasonality of which was, however, not significant. The highest POC export rate (26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹) appeared at the shelf break in spring (May), when Chl-a increased and the community structure changed from pico-phytoplankton (<2 μm) dominated to nano-phytoplankton (2–20 μm) and micro-phytoplankton (20–200 μm) dominated.     

雷州半岛灯楼角珊瑚礁海区夏季的浮游动物

2004年8月在雷州半岛灯楼角珊瑚礁海区分别使用浅水Ⅰ型和浅水Ⅱ型浮游生物网进行了浮游动物调查,共鉴定浮游动物72种和浮游幼虫19个类群(或类型),其中桡足类的种数最多达45种。结果表明,浮游动物种数分布由近岸往远岸递增,约3/4的种类属于终身浮游生物,1/4属于阶段性浮游生物。中小型的浮游动物种类多,数量大。两种网具采集的浮游动物总种数、总密度、多样性指数、均匀度和中小型优势种的密度差异相当显著,而大型优势种的密度差异不明显。用浅水Ⅱ型网采集的浮游动物总密度平均值为5270ind/m3,是浅水Ⅰ型网的110倍。桡足类占浮游动物总密度的72.45%,其次幼虫占23.41%。浮游动物密度呈斑块状分布,最高达16257ind/m3,底质为珊瑚礁的测站的浮游动物数量一般较多。优势种主要是中小型种类和底栖动物的幼虫,如强额孔雀哲水蚤、蔓足类无节幼虫、细长腹剑水蚤、驼背隆哲水蚤、无节幼虫、双壳类面盘幼虫、桡足幼体、简长腹剑水蚤等。     

虫黄藻的分类和遗传多样性研究进展

综述了虫黄藻的分类研究,其中与造礁石珊瑚共生的虫黄藻主要是共生藻属(Symbiodinium)的种类,重点概述了共生藻的分类和遗传多样性研究进展,特别综述了分子生物学技术在造礁石珊瑚共生藻的分类和遗传多样性方面的研究近况,并对未来共生藻的分类和遗传多样性研究作了展望.目前多采用分子生物学手段进行共生藻的分类和遗传多样性研究,PCR-RFLP是解决共生藻系群水平分类的有效分子标记,而DNA序列分析是目前进行共生藻分子进化和系统发育研究最有效的方法.目前应用于共生藻分子系统发生研究的DNA信息主要为核糖体RNA.对共生藻进行分类和遗传多样性研究,将有助于理解造礁石珊瑚共生藻共生系统对外界环境变化的生态响应机制.     

福建东山岛附近海域造礁石珊瑚共生藻的分子系统分类和遗传多样性研究

本研究利用核糖体大亚基5'端序列PCR-RFLP以及转录单元内间隔区(Internal TranlsclqIbed Sppacer,rrS)序列分析相结合的方法,首次对福建东山岛附近海域3种优势种类造礁石珊瑚共生藻进行了分子系统分类和遗传多样性研究.PCR-RFLP分析发现东山岛附近海域3种优势种类造礁石珊瑚共生藻都属于C系群共生藻,而ITS序列的序列分析结果表明东山岛附近海域3种优势种类造礁石珊瑚共生藻都属于C1亚系群.研究结果表明ITS序列进化速度快,适合于造礁石珊瑚共生藻属亚系群水平的鉴定.而东山岛附近海域造礁石珊瑚共生藻的多样性低,暗示东山岛附近海域造礁石珊瑚共生藻共生系统面对外界环境压力的适应能力较低.     

人工神经网络方法估算海洋上混合层深度的初步研究

上混合层深度是海洋上层热力结构特征的重要参数.结合南海南部海区一连续温盐深观测站的实测资料和NCEP再分析风场资料,以海洋表层温度和风应力为输入,以温度差值判断方法计算所得上混合层深度为输出,采用BP神经网络和广义回归神经网络2种方法进行训练,建立了南海南部海区的上混合层深度人工神经网络计算模型.实验显示,两种模型仿真结果与温度差值方法计算结果均方根误差分别为3.58m、3.09m,线性相关分别达0.87、0.91,绝对误差分别为2.80m、2.37m,相对误差分别为9.40%、7.40%.这一结果表明,人工神经网络方法精度较高,是一种切实可行的上混合层深度估算方法.     

基于ArcSDE的人防数据入库的应用研究

空间数据引擎是实现空间数据库的核心。简要介绍了ESRI公司的空间数据库引擎（spatial database engine）,它能将空间数据和属性数据集成在数据库中。进一步分析了空间数据的存储模式,并以人防工程为例构建了人防的Geodatabase数据模型,最后对实现人防工程数据的入库方法进行了探讨。     

Nonlinear influences on ocean waves observed by X-band radar

The purpose of this study is to discuss the influence of signal nonlinearity upon X-band radar observations. A method for estimating the degree of nonlinearity by bispectral analysis was applied and discussed. We found that bispectral analyses from spatial radar backscatter series are similar to results obtained from water level time series. In addition, the average nonlinear degree from radar backscatter is related to wind speed. The accuracy of wave observations derived by consideration of the nonlinear effect from radar backscatter was also investigated. The estimated error in wave height from the radar data is also related to the degree of nonlinearity. In order to improve accuracy, the modulation transfer function method was applied in order to eliminate the influence of nonlinearity.