Mapping the change of coral reefs using remote sensing and in situ measurements: a case study in Pangkajene and Kepulauan Regency,Spermonde Archipelago,Indonesia

As elsewhere in Indonesia, local inhabitants in the Pangkajene and Kepulauan (PANGKEP) Regency, Spermonde Archipelago area and along the south-west coast of Sulawesi traditionally regard the coral reefs as their livelihood source. Since human activities as well as natural disturbances pose major threats to the coral reefs, these livelihoods may also be at risk. Currently, no comprehensive information on the status and condition of coral reefs in this area is available for this resource management. We determined the changes of coral reef habitat over a period of 20 years from 1994 to 2014 using a satellite Landsat multi-temporal image substantiated with in situ measurement data collected in 2014. The spectral value of coral reefs was extracted from multi-temporal Landsat imagery data, while the diffuse attenuation coefficient of water was obtained by using statistical analysis between the ratio of live coral cover and the spectral value of the visible bands. By using the unsupervised classification integrated with the data ground truth, it is stated that there has been a decline in live coral cover over a period of 20 years from 7716 ha in 1994 to 4236 ha in 2014, with a degradation rate of 174 ha/year. Based on the results, the ratio of the coral cover in the coral reef transects varied from the average of 24% for live corals to 96% for coral rubbles, implying the degraded status of coral reefs in the study area.     

Remote effects of mixed layer development on ocean acidification in the subsurface layers of the North Pacific

Using the outputs of projections under the highest emission scenario of the representative concentration pathways performed by Earth system models (ESMs), we evaluate the ocean acidification rates of subsurface layers of the western North Pacific, where the strongest sink of atmospheric CO₂ is found in the mid-latitudes. The low potential vorticity water mass called the North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (STMW) shows large dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration increase, and is advected southwestward, so that, in the sea to the south of Japan, DIC concentration increases and ocean acidification occurs faster than in adjacent regions. In the STMW of the Izu-Ogasawara region, the ocean acidification occurs with a pH decrease of ~0.004 year^?1 , a much higher rate than the previously estimated global average (0.0023 year^?1), so that the pH decreases by 0.3–0.4 during the twenty-first century and the saturation state of calcite (Ω_Ca) decreases from ~4.8 down to ~2.4. We find that the ESMs with a deeper mixed layer in the Kuroshio Extension region show a larger increase in DIC concentration within the Izu-Ogasawara region and within the Ryukyu Islands region. Comparing model results with the mixed layer depth obtained from the Argo dataset, we estimate that DIC concentration at a depth of ~200 m increases by 1.4–1.6 μmol kg^?1 year^?1 in the Izu-Ogasawara region and by 1.1–1.4 μmol kg^?1 year^?1 in the Ryukyu Islands region toward the end of this century.     

Seismic and well logging interpretation for evaluation of the lower Bahariya reservoir,southwest Qarun (SWQ) Field,Gindi Basin,Egypt

This paper focuses on seismic and well log interpretations for evaluating the sandstones of the Cenomanian Bahariya Formation in the southwest Qarun Field, Gindi Basin, northern Western Desert of Egypt. The seismic profiles display a clear anticlinal structure intersected by reverse faults in the study area. This faulted anticline has been interpreted to be one of the Syrian arc system folds formed by Upper Cretaceous tectonic inversion, which resulted from the NW movement of the African Plate relative to Laurasia. This anticline has been recommended as a target for exploration by the present work as it may represent a structural trap for hydrocarbon accumulation. The sandstones of the Lower Bahariya Formation in the southwest Qarun Field display good reservoir characteristics. The interpretation of the available well log data for the SWQ-21 and SWQ-25 wells for the Lower Bahariya Formation reflects a good reservoir quality for oil production in its topmost part. This reservoir possesses low S_W (<50%), high porosity (16%), low S_W/S_XO and low BVW (<0.09) which all reflect a high potential for oil production.     

Estimation of spawning area of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pisodonophis sangjuensis</Emphasis> Ji and Kim, 2011 (Pisces: Ophichthidae) based on leptocephali size and distribution

Pre-metamorphic leptocephali of Pisodonophis sangjuensis (n = 91, 10.4?90.2 mm in total length, TL) were collected in the East China Sea for the first time. Pre-metamorphic leptocephali of P. sangjuensis, which were identified using mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (mtDNA COI), are characterized by various combinations of morphological characters: 8 moderate to pronounced gut loops with the kidney terminating on the 6-7th loops; and 8 subcutaneous pigment patches on the tail just ventral to the notochord. Pisodonophis sangjuensis leptocephali were more numerously collected offshore than inshore around Jeju Island. The smallest leptocephali (< 15.0 mm TL) were collected from the south far from Jeju Island, and the largest leptocephali (> 100.0 mm TL) were collected from around Jeju Island and the southern coast of Korea. Our findings indicate that P. sangjuensis spawns offshore south of Jeju Island that is an area associated with high water temperature, and then the hatched leptocephali are transported to Jeju Island or the southern coast of Korea by the Tsushima Warm Current.     

Application of the coral health chart to determine bleaching status of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acropora downingi</Emphasis> in a subtropical coral reef

The ‘Coral Health Chart’ has become a popular tool for monitoring coral bleaching worldwide. The scleractinian coral Acropora downingi (Wallace 1999) is highly vulnerable to temperature anomalies in the Persian Gulf. Our study tested the reliability of Coral Health Chart scores for the assessment of bleaching-related changes in the mitotic index (MI) and density of zooxanthellae cells in A. downingi in Qeshm Island, the Persian Gulf. The results revealed that, at least under severe conditions, it can be used as an effective proxy for detecting changes in the density of normal, transparent, or degraded zooxanthellae and MI. However, its ability to discern changes in pigment concentration and total zooxanthellae density should be viewed with some caution in the Gulf region, probably because the high levels of environmental variability in this region result in inherent variations in the characteristics of zooxanthellae among “healthy” looking corals.     

Removal rate and releases of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in two wastewater treatment plants,Korea

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in minimizing the release of many pollutants into the environment. Nineteen congeners in two WWTPs in Korea were determined to investigate the occurrence and fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) during wastewater treatment processes. The concentration of total PBDEs was 69.6 and 183 ng/L in influent, which declined to 1.59 and 2.34 ng/L in the final effluent, respectively (Tongyeong and Jinhae WWTPs). PBDEs were found to exist mostly in the particulate phase of wastewater, which rendered sedimentation efficient for the removal of PBDEs. BDE-209 was the predominant congener in the influent and sludge. Most of the PBDEs entering the WWTPs presumably ended up in the sludge, with < 2% being discharged with the final effluent. According to the mass loading estimation, every day 2.55–9.29 g PBDEs entered the two WWTPs, 2.8–10.4 g were disposed to landfill sites in sludge form and 0.06–0.12 g were discharged to the surrounding water through final effluent, respectively. Preliminary results indicated that the ecological risk to organisms in soil exposed to PBDEs through the usage of sludge application to agricultural land was relatively low. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on the removal efficiency of PBDEs in a WWTP in Korea.     

Large temporal changes in contributions of groundwater-borne nutrients to coastal waters off a volcanic island

We examined the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to nutrient budgets in Hwasun Bay, Jeju Island, Korea in August 2009, October 2014, and May 2015. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) in fresh groundwater were in the range of 285?716 μM and 2.3?3.2 μM, respectively, which were each 1?2 orders of magnitude higher than those in the bay seawater. The outer-bay seawater flowing into the bay was oligotrophic (2.9 ± 1.9 μM for DIN and 0.2 ± 0.3 μM for DIP). Nutrient budget calculations were performed for each season by accounting for submarine fresh groundwater discharge (SFGD) and water residence times. In August 2009 (DIN = 1.8 μM and DIN:DIP ratio = 4.6 for the outerbay water), DIN inputs from SFGD accounted for approximately 40% of the DIN inventory in the bay seawater. In October 2014 (DIN = 1.1 μM and DIP < 0.05 μM for the outer-bay water), DIP from SFGD accounted for approximately 100% of the DIP inventory in the bay seawater. In May 2015, mean concentrations of DIN and DIP in the bay seawater were 8.6 ± 12 μM and 0.11 ± 0.04 μM, respectively, with conservative behaviors in the bay seawater in association with excessive groundwater inputs. These results imply that SGD plays a critical but different role in nutrient budgets and stoichiometry in coastal waters off a volcanic island depending on open-ocean nutrient conditions.     

Annual gametogenesis and reproductive effort of the limpet <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cellana grata</Emphasis> (Gould, 1859) (Gastropoda: Nacellidae) in a rocky intertidal beach at Ulleungdo Island off the east coast of Korea

Widely distributed from the northern coast of Vietnam to the northern Japan, the limpet Cellana grata (Gould, 1859) occurs commonly on the south and east coasts of Korea. Despite their wide distribution range, few studies have investigated the annual gametogenesis and reproductive effort of C. grata. In an attempt to understand the reproductive physiology of the limpet, we investigated the annual gametogenesis and reproductive effort of C. grata from Ulleungdo Island off the east coast of Korea. Histology revealed that the gonial mitosis commenced in January, as the female exhibited small oogonia (10–40 μm) in the follicle. From March to June, the oocyte size increased dramatically, and fully mature eggs (110–170 μm in diameter) appeared in early summer. First spawning males and females were observed in July, as the surface seawater temperature (SST) reached 22.1°C. The spawning male and females could be observed until the end of December. Gonad somatic index (GSI), a ratio of gonad mass to the total tissue weight, of the male ranged from 0.6 (April) to 17.9 (July), while the female GSI varied from 1.0 (February) to 18.3 (July). GSI of male and female declined rapidly from July to August, suggesting that the major purse of the spawning at the study site was between July and August. Our study suggested that the commercial catch of C. grata during July and August must be suspended at Ulleungdo Island, in order to protect the spawning limpets, which enhances C. grata recruitment and the population.     

胶州湾贻贝苗源的发展

贻贝(Mytilus edulis L.)是一种冷水性双壳类软体动物，它在我国沿岸分布的南限是胶州湾，但仅见于港内码头及船底上，且数量不多。 1958年青岛市水产局、原青岛市海水养殖场和中国科学院海洋研究所等单位曾一起自大连和烟台移贻贝苗至青岛试养，次年养殖架上也曾有少量幼苗附着，但未能大量繁殖起来。1971年后胶南县海水养殖试验场及青岛市第二海水养殖场等先后进行数十亩乃至数百亩移苗养殖，附苗量虽有所增长，但直至1974年仍缺乏生产意义。这种情况引起我们的思考:胶州湾贻贝苗源能否大量发展？它的限制因素是什么？ 1972年至1973年，我们与烟台地区海水养殖试验场等单位曾对烟台沿岸贻贝苗源进行调查研究，确认当时烟台苗种产量不高的主要原因是附着基不足，其次是亲贝不足，据此试验成功了“废旧草绠采苗法”。之后，随着采苗器材的增加及养殖面积的不断扩大，烟台芝罘湾已发展成为一个较好的苗场，通常可供万亩以上生产用苗。这个经验对我们开发胶州湾的苗源很有启发。 1975年胶南县在胶州湾大力推广“废旧草绠采苗法”，收割海带后保留废旧海带架两万台采贻贝苗， 1976年进一步扩大贻贝养殖面积，继续留绠采苗。我们在青岛市水产局及胶南县水产局等单位的协助下，于1975年9月及1976年8-9月，对胶州湾内及湾口(青岛前海)留绠采苗的情况进行了调查，这些调查资料即为本文的主要依据。     

Mixed layer variability in Northern Arabian Sea as detected by an Argo float

Seasonal evolution of surface mixed layer in the Northern Arabian Sea (NAS) between 17° N–20.5° N and 59° E-69° E was observed by using Argo float daily data for about 9 months, from April 2002 through December 2002. Results showed that during April - May mixed layer shoaled due to light winds, clear sky and intense solar insolation. Sea surface temperature (SST) rose by 2.3 °C and ocean gained an average of 99.8 Wm⁻². Mixed layer reached maximum depth of about 71 m during June - September owing to strong winds and cloudy skies. Ocean gained abnormally low ∼18 Wm⁻² and SST dropped by 3.4 °C. During the inter monsoon period, October, mixed layer shoaled and maintained a depth of 20 to 30 m. November - December was accompanied by moderate winds, dropping of SST by 1.5 °C and ocean lost an average of 52.5 Wm⁻². Mixed layer deepened gradually reaching a maximum of 62 m in December. Analysis of surface fluxes and winds suggested that winds and fluxes are the dominating factors causing deepening of mixed layer during summer and winter monsoon periods respectively. Relatively high correlation between MLD, net heat flux and wind speed revealed that short term variability of MLD coincided well with short term variability of surface forcing.