Intersexes in Mississippi River shovelnose sturgeon sampled below Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.

The Missouri Department of Conservation detected high organochlorine levels in tissues of fish from the Mississippi River south of Saint Louis. Chlordane, which is both a carcinogen and an endocrine disrupter, reached 2960 micrograms/kg in fillets of shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platyorynchus, and 1926 micrograms/kg in their roe, wet weight basis. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) in roe have reached 5810 and 780 micrograms/kg, respectively. The purpose of this study was to determine if endocrine disrupters and carcinogens are a potential cause of the significantly diminished reproduction capacity and population declines in the endangered pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus. Twenty-four surrogate shovelnose sturgeons were sampled north of Saint Louis where contaminant levels were lower compared with 17 sampled south of Saint Louis where contaminant levels were high. Liver and gonad tissues were formalin-fixed, histologically processed and examined. Neoplasms were not found. The principal finding was that the testes of two of the seven downstream male fish contained ovigerous lamellae, in addition to mature sperm. Since sturgeons are gonochoristic and intersexes are rare and unusual, the occurrence of intersex in 29% of the male Mississippi River shovelnose sturgeon examined from a population contaminated with chlordane and other chemicals raise concern for human health, species biodiversity and preservation of waterway quality. These findings, however, need to be corroborated by expanded studies with a higher sample size.     

合肥市郊低层大气的激光雷达探测研究

利用L300米散射激光雷达对合肥市郊大气边界层进行长期系统观测.分析讨论了大气边界层气溶胶消光系数与温度、湿度的关系, 大气边界层气溶胶消光系数垂直分布和时间变化的主要特征, 给出了激光雷达探测的大气边界层高度的统计特征及其与无线电气象探空仪探测大气边界层高度的比较结果.     

CMIP5模式对中国近海海表温度的模拟及预估

基于观测和再分析资料;利用多种指标和方法评估了国际耦合模式比较计划（CMIP5）中21个模式对中国近海海温的月、季节和年际变化模拟能力。多模式集合能够再现气候平均意义下近海海温的空间分布特征;但量值上存在一定的低估。在渤海和黄海;集合平均与观测差别比较明显。在年际尺度上;与观测数据对比;模式模拟海温与Niño3指数相关性较小。中国近海海表面温度在1960-2002年有明显的升高趋势;从2003年开始增温趋缓。评估结果表明;ACCESS1.0、BCC-CSM1.1、HadGEM2-ES、IPSL-CM5A-MR、CMCC-CM、FGOALS-g2、CNRM-CM5-2、INMCM4八个模式对中国近海海温的变化有较好的模拟能力。利用ACCESS1.0、INMCM4、BCC-CSM1.1、IPSL-CM5A-MR、CMCC-CM这5个模式结果对中国近海海温未来的变化进行了预估。在RCP4.5、RCP8.5情景下;未来近100年中国近海海温有明显升高趋势;最优模式多模式集合平均增温分别可达到1.5℃、3.3℃;净热通量变化和平流变化共同促进了东海升温。     

Depth of settlement of two mussel species on suspended collectors in Marlborough Sounds,New Zealand (Note)

The preferred depth of settlement and settlement period of two species of mussel spat were monitored at Yncyca Bay (NZMS1 S15 220460) and Wet Inlet (NZMS1 S16 265432) in the Marlborough Sounds on collectors suspended in 0–4 m of water between 20 October 1975 and 4 April 1976. Peak settlement of Mytilus edulis aoteanus was between 20 October 1975 and 4 January 1976, and decreased with increasing depth. Peak settlement of Perna canaliculus was between 16 February 1976 and 12 April 1976, and showed no preferred depth of settlement.

Capture of wild stocks of Mytilus edulis aoteanus and Perna canaliculus spat for use in aquaculture has become more reliable through accurate forecasting of peak settlement periods, and knowledge of preferred depth of settlement of the two species.

Preferred depth of settlement of spat may affect the shore zonation of mussels.     

Genetic variation of the small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) inferred from mitochondrial DNA provides novel insight into the fluctuation of resources

The small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) belongs to the family Sciaenidae, which is an offshore warm fish species and widely distributed in the western Pacific. In this study, the variation of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation among L. polyactis populations was analyzed by mitochondrial DNA control region. A total of 110 polymorphic sites were checked, which defined 134 haplotypes. High level of haplotype diversity (h=0.993±0.002) was detected in the examined range. Population genetic structure analyse (analysis of molecular variance, F_st) showed there were high gene flow among L. polyactis populations. The result showed that there were relatively high genetic diversity and low genetic differentiation among the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea populations, which can be attributed to diverse habitats, wide distribution range and high mutation rate of control region. Using phylogenetic methods, coalescent analyses (neutrality tests, mismatch distribution analysis, Bayesian skyline analyses) and molecular dating interpreted in conjunction with paleoclimatic and physiographic evidence, we inferred that the genetic make-up of extant populations of L. polyactis was shaped by Pleistocene environmental impacts on the historical demography of this species. Besides, relatively constant genetic diversity and larger effective population size were detected in recent L. polyactis population. The result showed that the fishing policy certainly, such as the summer closed fishing, played a role in protecting resources of L. polyactis. This study can offer a wealth of biological novelties which indicates genetic structure of L. polyactis population and provides the foundation for resources protection and policy setting.     

Distribution and expression of gas seeps in a gas hydrate province of the northeastern Sakhalin continental slope, Sea of Okhotsk

Multidisciplinary surveys were conducted to investigate gas seepage and gas hydrate accumulation on the northeastern Sakhalin continental slope (NESS), Sea of Okhotsk, during joint Korean–Russian–Japanese expeditions conducted from 2003 to 2007 (CHAOS and SSGH projects). One hundred sixty-one gas seeps were detected in a 2000 km² area of the NESS (between 53°45′N and 54°45′N). Active gas seeps in a gas hydrate province on the NESS were evident from features in the water column, on the seafloor, and in the subsurface: well-defined hydroacoustic anomalies (gas flares), side-scan sonar structures with high backscatter intensity (seepage structures), bathymetric structures (pockmarks and mounds), gas- and gas-hydrate-related seismic features (bottom-simulating reflectors, gas chimneys, high-amplitude reflectors, and acoustic blanking), high methane concentrations in seawater, and gas hydrates in sediment near the seafloor. These expressions were generally spatially related; a gas flare would be associated with a seepage structure (mound), below which a gas chimney was present. The spatial distribution of gas seeps on the NESS is controlled by four types of geological structures: faults, the shelf break, seafloor canyons, and submarine slides. Gas chimneys that produced enhanced reflection on high-resolution seismic profiles are interpreted as active pathways for upward gas migration to the seafloor. The chimneys and gas flares are good indicators of active seepage.     

A review of the equations used to predict the velocity distribution within a ship’s propeller jet

Predicting the velocity within the ship’s propeller jet is the initial step to investigate the scouring made by the propeller jet. Albertson et al. (1950) suggested the investigation of a submerged jet can be undertaken through observation of the plain water jet from an orifice. The plain water jet investigation of Albertson et al. (1950) was based on the axial momentum theory. This has been the basis of all subsequent work with propeller jets. In reality, the velocity characteristic of a ship’s propeller jet is more complicated than a plain water jet. Fuehrer and Römisch (1977), Blaauw and van de Kaa (1978), Berger et al. (1981), Verhey (1983) and Hamill (1987) have carried out investigations using physical model. Current paper reviews the state-of-art of the equations used to predict the time-averaged axial, tangential and radial components of velocity within the zone of flow establishment and the zone of established flow of a ship’s propeller jet.     

软悬挂状态下隔水管动力特性分析

建立了软悬挂状态下隔水管动力分析模型,采用有限单元法对模型进行离散,结合Newmark-β法对动态方程求解,并对模型进行验证,最后选取南海某口深水井实际参数,对软悬挂状态下隔水管动力特性进行分析。研究结果表明:软悬挂状态下隔水管底端横向位移最大,顶部铰接处弯矩最大。软悬挂状态下,隔水管横向位移与弯矩随着海底隔水管总成(LMRP)重量增加而减小,随着平台运动速度、平台航向与海流方向夹角增大而增大;回收隔水管减小悬挂长度有利于减小最大横向位移,但会造成弯矩轻微增加;采用旋转刚度适当较大的挠性接头则有利于减小隔水管挠性接头以下整体位移与弯矩。研究成果为钻井平台避台撤离时隔水管的安全提供理论指导。     

Estimation of the minimum food requirement using the respiration rate of medusa of Aurelia aurita in Sihwa Lake

We examined the respiration rate of Aurelia aurita medusae at 20 °C and 28 °C to evaluate minimum metabolic demands of medusae population in Sihwa Lake, Korea during summer. While weight specific respiration rates of medusae were constant and irrespective to the wet weight (8?C220 g), they significantly varied in respect to temperatures (p<0.001, 0.11±0.03 mg C g^?1 of medusa d^?1 at 20°C and 0.28±0.11 mg C g^?1 of medusa d^?1 at 28 °C in average, where Q ₁₀ value was 2.62). The respiration rate of medusae was defined as a function of temperature (T, °C) and body weight (W, g) according to the equation, R=0.13×2.62^(T-20)/10 W ^0.93. Population minimum food requirement (PMFR) was estimated from the respiration rate as 15.06 and 4.86 mg C m^?3 d^?1 in June and July, respectively. During this period, increase in bell diameter and wet weight was not significant (p=1 in the both), suggesting that the estimated PMFR closely represented the actual food consumption in the field. From July to August, medusae grew significantly at 0.052 d-1, thus the amount of food ingested by medusae population in situ was likely to exceed the PMFR (1.27 mg C m^?3 d^?1) during the period. In conclusion, the medusae population of higher density during June and July had limited amount of food, while those of lower in July and August ingested enough food for growth.     

大洋多金属结核矿区沉积物土工性质

利用1994年大洋多金属结核调查所获得的土工资料,结合以往有关资料进行了综合分析。研究了大洋沉积物类型、沉积物土工性质、土质强度等,为未来海底工程设施和多金属结核开采设备的设计与制造提供依据。