SeagrassNet monitoring across the Americas: case studies of seagrass decline

Seagrasses are an important coastal habitat worldwide and are indicative of environmental health at the critical land–sea interface. In many parts of the world, seagrasses are not well known, although they provide crucial functions and values to the world's oceans and to human populations dwelling along the coast. Established in 2001, SeagrassNet, a monitoring program for seagrasses worldwide, uses a standardized protocol for detecting change in seagrass habitat to capture both seagrass parameters and environmental variables. SeagrassNet is designed to statistically detect change over a relatively short time frame (1–2 years) through quarterly monitoring of permanent plots. Currently, SeagrassNet operates in 18 countries at 48 sites; at each site, a permanent transect is established and a team of people from the area collects data which is sent to the SeagrassNet database for analysis. We present five case studies based on SeagrassNet data from across the Americas (two sites in the USA, one in Belize, and two in Brazil) which have a common theme of seagrass decline; the study represents a first latitudinal comparison across a hemisphere using a common methodology. In two cases, rapid loss of seagrass was related to eutrophication, in two cases losses related to climate change, and in one case, the loss is attributed to a complex trophic interaction resulting from the presence of a marine protected area. SeagrassNet results provide documentation of seagrass change over time and allow us to make scientifically supported statements about the status of seagrass habitat and the extent of need for management action.     

海洋硬骨鱼类卵黄囊期生物能学研究

卵黄囊期是鱼类早期发育中的一个重要阶段，是鱼类由内源营养向外源营养转化的一个关键时期。在此期间，游离氨基酸、蛋白质、脂肪酸、总脂和碳水化合物等基本生化成份的变化表现出一定的规律性，并具有种的特异性。从能量学的角度来分析，则表现为主要能源物质在发育过程中有规律的变化，各能量物质是按一定顺序被利用的。 鱼卵是一个高度特化的自组织系统，它在发育过程中，用于细胞活动的物质基础主要是卵黄。在卵黄期，卵细胞的代谢过程可描述为依生化成份变化的生化代谢过程和依能量转移和释放的能量代谢过程。从受精到卵黄囊消耗完全的卵黄囊期，以开口摄食为标志分为前后两个阶段，开口之前为全部利用自身营养的内源营养阶段，开口之后为利用自身营养和外源营养相结合的混合营养阶段。探素卵黄囊期海洋硬骨鱼类的能量转化规律，定量分析发育过程中生化成分和能量物质的变化，预测维持仔稚鱼生命活动和提供生长所必需的合适饵料营养成分，已成为鱼类早期发育生物学研究的热点课题。     

台湾海峡1997年8月至1999年8月份海水光学衰减系数的分布特征

利用1997－1999年间8月份台湾海峡的实测资料，分析了海水光学衰减系数的垂直分布类型、水平分布特征。结果表明，台湾海峡海水光学衰减系数的垂直分布类型主要分为5种，大部分随深度而递增；光学衰减系数等值线基本与岸线平行，水平梯度自北向南、自近岸向外海递减，近岸等值线密集，而外海稀疏；影响台湾海峡光学衰减系数的主要因素是县浮物质（主要含浮游生物）和海流运动。     

十四株海洋微藻脂肪酸组成的研究

对 4个门的 14株 (红藻门 8株 ,甲藻门 1株 ,隐藻门 2株 ,绿藻门 3株 )海洋微藻进行了脂肪酸含量测定 ,微藻在确定的条件下生长 ,指数生长末期收获。结果表明 ,各门的微藻都有其独特的脂肪酸特征 :红藻中含有大量的 2 0 :4 n- 6和 2 0 :5n- 3,其中紫球藻 R2 5含量最高 ,占总脂肪酸的4 9.8% (AA占总脂肪酸的 2 0 .5% ,EPA占总脂肪酸的 2 9.3% )。隐藻的主要脂肪酸是 16 :0、18:1n- 9、18:3n- 3、18:4 n- 3、2 0 :5n- 3、2 2 :5n- 3。与其它甲藻有别的虫黄藻 ,18:4 n- 3含量很少并且不含EPA,其主要合成的是 16 :0、18:1n- 9和 2 2 :6 n- 3。 C16和 C18的不饱和脂肪酸是本实验研究的 3株绿藻的主要脂肪酸     

Microbial Biomass and Organic Nutrients in the Deep-Sea Sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin

In order to assess the impact of deep-sea mining on the in situ benthic life, we measured the microbial standing stock and concentration of organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin in the Indian pioneer area. Sediments were collected using box core and grab samples during September 1996. The total bacterial numbers ranged from 10 10 -10 11 cells per g -1 dry weight sediment. There was a marginal decrease in the number of bacteria from surface to 30 cm depth, though the subsurface section registered a higher number than did the surface. The highest numbers were encountered at depths of 4-8 cm. The retrievable number of bacteria were two orders less in comparison with the direct total counts of bacteria. An almost homogeneous distribution of bacteria, total organic carbon, living biomass, and lipids throughout the depth of cores indicates active microbial and benthic processes in the deep sea sediments. On the other hand, a uniform distribution of total counts of bacteria, carbohydrates, and total organic carbon in all the cores indicates their stable nature and suggests that they can serve as useful parameters for long-term monitoring of the area after the benthic disturbance. Further studies on temporal variability in this region would not only verify the observed norms of distribution of these variables but would also help to understand restabilization processes after the simulated benthic disturbance.     

Acoustic imaging,visualization, and quantification of buoyant hydrothermal plumes in the Ocean

We develop and apply visualization and quantification methods to reconstruct hydrothermal plumes in 3D from acoustic images and to make the first direct measurements from the reconstructions of scalar properties that describe the behavior of two buoyant plumes discharging from adjacent black smoker chimneys. The actual behavior is then compared to that predicted by a classic simple buoyant plume model. The images are reconstructed as isointensity surfaces of backscatter from particulate matter suspended in the plumes. The measurements pertinent to the role of the plumes as agents of dispersal of heat and mass into the ocean include change with height of diameter, particle distribution, dilution, centerline attitude, surface protrusions, and connectivity. The protrusions are the surface expression of eddies and appear to follow a bifurcating helical flow pattern that resemble simulation of the naturally forced flow of coherent vortex rings as the eddies rise with the buoyant plume. These direct measurements and the derived entrainment coefficient are generally consistent with behavior predicted by the simple buoyant plume model and support engulfment by vortex shedding as a primary mechanism for entrainment of surrounding seawater. Deviations from predicted buoyant plume behavior are diagnostic of particle dynamics.     

Propagation of the Southwest Indian Ridge at the Rodrigues Triple Junction

The analysis of multibeam bathymetric data of the Southwest Indian Ridge(SWIR) domain between the triple junction traces from 68° E to theRodrigues Triple Junction (RTJ; 70° E) reveals the evolution of thisridge since magnetic anomaly 4 (8 Ma). Image processing has been used toshow that the horizontal component of strain due to a network of normal stepfaults increases dramatically between 69°30 E and the RTJ. Thisarea close to the RTJ is characterized by a deep graben at the foot of thetriple junction trace on the African plate and by a narrow fault-boundedridge that joins an offset of the trace on the Antarctic plate. In thatarea, spreading is primarily amagmatic and dominated by tectonic extensionprocesses. To the west of 69°30 E, some lobate bathymetricfeatures atop of a large topographic high suggest volcanic constructions.Between 68°10 E and 69°25 E the southern flank of theSWIR domain is wider than the northern one and is characterized by a series of 7 en echelon bathymetric highs similar in size,shape and orientation to the one centred at 69°30E near the present-day triple junction. Their en echelon organization along the triple junction trace on the Antarctic plate and the typical lack of conjugated parts on the northern flank show that these bathymetric highs have been shifted to the south by successive northward relocalisations of the SWIR rifting zone. This evolution results in the asymmetric spreading of the SWIR in the survey area. The off-axis bathymetric highs connect to the offsets of the triple junction trace on the Antarctic plate when the Southeast Indian Ridges lightly lengthenstoward the northwest and the triple junction is relocated to the north. We propose that the SWIR lengthens toward the northeast with two propagation modes: 1) a continuous and progressive propagation with distributed deformation in preexisting crust of the Central Indian Ridge, 2) a discontinuous propagation with focusing of the deformation in a rift zone when the triple junction migrates rapidly to the north. The modes of propagation of the SWIR are related to different localisation and distribution of strain which are in turn controlled by changes of the triple junction configurations due to propagation, recession or a symmetric spreading on the Central and Southeast Indian Ridges.     

An Experi mental Study on Wave-Induced Dynamic Stresses in Seabed

1 .IntroductionEvery year ,Taiwanis subjectedtotwo or three typhoonintrusions in average which always causedisasters . Most of the disasters which occur around the coastal zone are due to seabed instability andcoastal structure destruction caused bytyphoo…     

海岸带专题地图编绘相关问题

海岸带是影响人类活动的重要地带，海岸带专题地图能够详细表示出海岸带的特性。随着海洋经济的发展，海岸图的需求日益增加。从地图的数学要素出发，提出目前海岸图绘制存在的问题，并从地图学、海洋学、遥感地学的角度，对地图投影的选择、坐标系转换、比例尺对海岸图编绘的影响及控制点的确定等问题进行了综合分析。