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.     

Offshore marine conservation policies in the North East Atlantic: Emerging tensions and opportunities

An inherent tension exists between legal approaches to nature conservation and fisheries management in the European Union, as the former remains the remit of Member States while the latter is under the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the European Community (EC). This tension is of particular importance when addressing the conservation of habitats or species that are under threat from fishing activities. This article examines recent developments in offshore marine conservation in the North-East Atlantic in light of the legislative developments and political frameworks that are currently evolving. By analysing the emergency closure of the Darwin Mounds area of cold-water corals and the UK pair-trawl ban, it becomes evident that the precautionary principle is a key factor in the tension between fisheries management and marine nature conservation, and is not always taken into account.     

Estimating the underwater light field from remote sensing of ocean color

We present a new approach that incorporates two models to estimate the underwater light field from remote sensing of ocean color. The first employs a series of analytical, semi-analytical, and empirical algorithms to retrieve the spectrum of inherent optical properties (IOPs), including the absorption and the backscatter coefficients, from the spectrum of remote sensing reflectance. The second model computes the profile of photosynthetically available radiation E _0,PAR (z) for a vertically homogeneous water column using the information of the retrieved IOPs and the ambient optical environment. This computation is based on an improved look-up table technology that possesses high accuracy, comparable with the full solution of the radiative transfer equation, and meets the computational requirement of remote sensing application. This new approach was validated by in situ measurements and an extensive model-to-model comparison with a wide range of IOPs. We successfully mapped the compensation depth by applying this new approach to process the SeaWiFS imagery. This research suggests that E _0,PAR (z) can be obtained routinely from ocean-color data and may have significant implications for the estimation of global heat and carbon budget.     

Consumption of bacteria by larvae of a deep-sea polychaete

We investigated whether trochophore larvae of the polychaete Hesiocaeca methanicola, which lives on exposed ice‐like methane hydrates between 500 and 600 m, could consume near‐bottom picoplankton. In laboratory trials larvae significantly reduced the growth rates of all types of picoplankton, including heterotrophic bacteria, Prochlorococcus sp., Synechococcus‐type cyanobacteria and phototrophic eucaryotes <3 μm. Our findings suggest that these types of plankton may be important food sources for deep‐sea planktotrophic larvae.     

A General Linear Wave Theory for Water Waves Propagating over Uneven Porous Bottoms

Starting from the widespread phenomena of porous bottoms in the near shore region, considering fully the diversity of bottom topography and wave number variation, and including the effect of evanescent modes, a general linear wave theory for water waves propagating over uneven porous bottoms in the near shore region is established by use of Green‘s scond identity. This theory can be reduced to a number of the most typical mild-slope equations curreutly in use and provide a reliable research basis for follow-up development of nonlinear water wave theory involving porous bottoms.     

Geophysical and geochemical observations on actively seeping hydrocarbon gases on the south-eastern Yellow Sea continental shelf

In the southeastern Yellow Sea, active seepage of hydrocarbon gases has been observed by high-resolution (3.5 kHz) seismic profiling both in 1987 and 2001, occurring through a large number of plumes from the topmost pre-Holocene sedimentary layer. It is strong enough to compensate for current speed, extending vertically up to the sea surface. The gas seepage often appears to be explosive to form craters and diapirs, although pockmarks are rare due to the redistribution of mobile palimpsest sands. In core-top seawater and sediments, the gases are characterized by high amounts of C₂, homogenous ¹³C₁ values and a large difference (19.7 on average) between ¹³C₁ (–55.2 to –53.6 PDB) and ¹³C₂ (–36.8 to –32.5 PDB) values. The gases are considered to be generated with a smaller amount of C₁ at the early thermal cracking stage of labile source materials, after which the C₂ gas is enriched in ¹³C by diffusion or biological alternation at the generation or accumulation site. The homogenous ¹³C₁ values may be one of the geochemical characteristics of gases acquired at depth which are less altered in the case of rapid diffusive gas migration to the seafloor.     

Contamination of organotin compounds and imposex in molluscs from Vancouver,Canada

Gastropods and bivalves were collected at 15 sites at Vancouver and Victoria, Canada between 24 May and 7 June, 1999, to establish tissue concentrations of butyltin and phenyltin compounds, to record imposex symptoms in gastropods, and to assess the present status of organotin contamination around Vancouver. No neogastropods (such as Nucella lima) were found around Vancouver. Neogastropod populations could have been extirpated by severe TBT contamination in Vancouver, as relatively high concentrations of TBT were detected in tissues of Mytilus trossulus from Vancouver, and the neogastropods distributed in Vancouver might be sensitive to TBT. Recovery from imposex, however, was observed in neogastropod populations from three sites at Victoria and Mission Point. TBT contamination has continued around Vancouver, arising from continuous use of TBT in antifouling paints for vessels larger than 25 m in length; however, TBT has decreased around Victoria and Mission Point. Different patterns of TBT accumulation in tissue were observed among the bivalve species from Vancouver. The highest TBT concentration detected in Tresus capax suggested some possible adverse effects. TBT was the most predominant butyltin component in almost all bivalve specimens surveyed, suggesting a low rate of TBT metabolism. Phenyltin compounds were not detected in any molluscan specimens in this study.     

赤点石斑鱼(Epinephelus akaara)精子超微结构及环境因子对精子活力的影响

为揭示赤点石斑鱼精子的超微结构及环境因子对其精子活力的影响,利用扫描电镜和透射电镜观察赤点石斑鱼精子的超微结构,设置不同梯度的温度、盐度、pH值及不同浓度的NaCl、KCl、CaCl₂、MgCl₂、EDTANa₂溶液,探究这些因子对赤点石斑鱼精子活力的影响。结果表明:赤点石斑鱼成熟精子的结构特点是细胞核圆形或卵圆形,核内染色质致密,没有核泡(核空隙)。精子尾部细长,横切面为典型的"9+2"微管结构。温度、盐度、pH值等环境因子对精子活力的影响表明,精子活力的适宜温度范围为23~31℃,27.5℃时精子寿命最长为37min;适宜的盐度范围为15~35,盐度15时精子寿命最长为50min;适宜的pH范围为7~9,pH为9时精子的运动时间最长为33min。赤点石斑鱼精子在EDTANa₂溶液中呈抑制状态,在400~700 mmol/L的NaCl溶液、400~600mmol/L的KCl溶液和500 mmol/L的CaCl₂溶液中精子均具有较好的活动能力。在MgCl₂溶液中赤点石斑鱼精子的活动能力不佳。赤点石斑鱼精子的最适温度范围与繁殖季节的最适水温范围符合,适宜盐度范围较广,对pH值的变化适应性较强。赤点石斑鱼精子在NaCl、KCl、CaCl₂溶液中活力较佳,在MgCl₂溶液和EDTANa₂溶液中呈抑制状态。     

Discussion: A review on the behaviour of helical piles as a potential offshore foundation system

Abstract

Helical piles have emerged as an attractive foundation system for offshore applications with renewed interest from the offshore community. Significant research gap currently exists in transferring this technology offshore and this paper discusses how existing and emerging knowledge can be successfully used to bridge some of the gaps. We focus on the Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian (CEL) large deformation finite element (LDFE) modelling technique that is commercially available and can be used to model the three-dimensional installation process with consideration of strain rate and softening effects in soft offshore clays. A helical pile of L?=?7.5?m long is modelled with one or two large-diameter helices (D?=?2?m) attached to a central shaft of d?=?0.5?m in diameter.The net effect of strain rate and softening is to increase the installation torque. The measured torque is within the range of 200–400?kN.m for the offshore clay and the pile geometry studied. Additional helices increase the uplift force but to a lesser degree than that of the measured torque. Remoulding induced strength reduction is found to be within the range of 25–33% of the intact clay strength. Issues of extracting and reusing offshore helical pile foundations are discussed.     

Sustainable shellfish aquaculture in Saldanha Bay,South Africa

The carrying capacity for bivalve shellfish culture in Saldanha Bay, South Africa, was analysed through the application of the well-tested EcoWin ecological model, in order to simulate key ecosystem variables. The model was set up using: (i) oceanographic and water-quality data collected from Saldanha Bay, and (ii) culture-practice information provided by local shellfish farmers. EcoWin successfully reproduced key ecological processes, simulating an annual mean phytoplankton biomass of 7.5 µg Chl a l^–1 and an annual harvested shellfish biomass of about 3 000 tonnes (t) y^–1, in good agreement with reported yield. The maximum annual carrying capacity of Small Bay was estimated as 20 000 t live weight (LW) of oysters Crassostrea gigas, or alternatively 5 100 t LW of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, and for Big Bay as 100 000 t LW of oysters. Two production scenarios were investigated for Small Bay: a production of 4 000 t LW y^–1 of mussels, and the most profitable scenario for oysters of 19 700 t LW y^–1. The main conclusions of this work are: (i) in 2015–2016, both Small Bay and Big Bay were below their maximum production capacity; (ii) the current production of shellfish potentially removes 85% of the human nitrogen inputs; (iii) a maximum-production scenario in both Big Bay and Small Bay would result in phytoplankton depletion in the farmed area; (iv) increasing the production intensity in Big Bay would probably impact the existing cultures in Small Bay; and (v) the production in Small Bay could be increased, resulting in higher income for farmers.