Seasonal variation of freshwater budget in the Yellow and East China Seas simulated from an ocean general circulation model

This study investigates a freshwater budget in the Yellow and East China Seas (YECS) using a global f general circulation model with a regional focus on the YECS. A freshwater budget analysis finds that major freshwater contributors over the YECS change seasonally. In summer, freshwater inflow from Changjiang and positive precipitation minus evaporation (P-E) dominates freshwater outflow across the boundaries around the YECS, resulting in net freshwater gain in the YECS. In winter, evaporation, intensified by strong winds, dominates freshwater inflow from Changjiang and precipitation, while net freshwater transport across the boundaries around the YECS is negligible, causing freshwater loss in total over the YECS. Although P-E has often been assumed to be negligible by supposing that the annual mean of precipitation is nearly equal to that of evaporation, this study suggests that P-E needs to be included in the seasonal freshwater budget in the YECS.     

Late Mesozoic magmatism in the East Qinling Orogen,China and its tectonic implications

The Qinling Orogen in Central China records the history of a complex geological evolution and tectonic transition from compression to extension during the Late Mesozoic,with concomitant voluminous granitoids formation.In this study,we present results from petrological,geochemical,zircon U-Pb-Lu-Hf isotopic studies on the Lengshui felsic dykes from Luanchuan region in the East Qinling Orogen.We also compile published geochronological,geochemical,and Hf isotopic data from Luanchuan region and present zircon Hf isotopic contour maps.The newly obtained age data yield two group of ages at～145 Ma and 140 Ma for two granite porphyries from the Lengshui felsic dykes,with the ～145 Ma interpreted as response to the peak of magmatism in the region,and the ～140 Ma as the timing of formation of the felsic dykes.The corresponding Hf isotopic data of the granite porphyries display negativeeHit)values of-16.67 to-4.61,and Hf crustal model ages(T_(DM~C_)of 2255-1490 Ma,indicating magma sourced from the melting of Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic crustal materials.The compiled age data display two major magmatic pulses at 160-130 Ma and 111-108 Ma with magmatic quiescence in between,and the zircon Hf isotopic data display/ε_(Hf)(t)values ranging from-41.9 to 2.1 and T_(DM)~c values of3387-1033 Ma,suggesting mixed crustal and mantle-derived components in the magma source,and correspond to multiple tectonic events during the Late Mesozoic.The Luanchuan granitoids are identified as 1-type granites and most of these are highly fractionated granites,involving magma mixing and mingling and crystal fractionation.The tectonic setting in the region transformed from the Late Jurassic syn-collision setting to Early Cretaceous within-plate setting,with E-W extension in the Early Cretaceous.This extension is correlated with the N-S trending post-collisional extension between the North China Craton and Yangtze Craton as well as the E-W trending back-arc extension triggered by the westward Paleo-Pacific Plate subduction,eventually leading to lithospheric thinning,asthenospheric upwelling,mafic magma underplating,and crustal melting in the East Qinling Orogen.     

Estimates of sediment and nutrient loads in 10 major catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef during 2006-2009

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchment area has been monitored simultaneously for sediment and nutrient exports from 10 priority catchments discharging into the GBR lagoon between 2006 and 2009. This allows GBR catchment-wide exports to be estimated and spatially compared within a discrete time-frame. Elevated levels of sediment and nutrient exports were recorded in all monitored catchments as compared to pre-European estimates, but vary around previous estimates of mean annual loads. During the period of monitoring, the Burdekin and Fitzroy catchments contributed the highest sediment and nutrient exports, however when loads were normalised for area, these catchments produced the lowest unit yields. In contrast, the highest yields were produced in the wetter and proportionately more intensively cultivated Johnstone, O'Connell, and Pioneer catchments particularly for dissolved nitrogens. This assessment offers the necessary scientific foundation for future monitoring, assessment, and management of sediment and nutrient loads entering the GBR.     

Accuracy of nonlinear static procedures for the seismic assessment of shear critical structures

The nonlinear behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) members represents a key issue in the seismic performance assessment of structures. Many structures constructed in the 1980s or earlier were designed based on force limits; thus they often exhibit brittle failure modes, strength and stiffness degradation, and severe pinching effects. Field surveys and experimental evidence have demonstrated that such inelastic responses affect the global behavior of RC structural systems. Efforts have been made to consider the degrading stiffness and strength in the simplified nonlinear static procedures commonly adopted by practitioners. This paper investigates the accuracy of such procedures for the seismic performance assessment of RC structural systems. Refined finite element models of a shear critical bridge bent and a flexure‐critical bridge pier are used as reference models. The numerical models are validated against experimental results and used to evaluate the inelastic dynamic response of the structures subjected to earthquake ground motions with increasing amplitude. The maximum response from the refined numerical models is compared against the results from the simplified static procedures, namely modified capacity spectrum method and coefficient method in FEMA‐440. The accuracy of the static procedures in estimating the displacement demand of a flexure‐critical system and shear‐critical system is discussed in detail. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the Effect of Marine Ranching Activities on the Tongyeong Marine Ecosystem

Using ecosystem models (Ecopath, Ecosim, and Ecospace), we assessed the structure and function of the Tongyeong marine ranching ecosystem and compared changes in various ecosystem components before and after marine ranching activities. An ecosystem structure model, Ecopath, was used to estimate the changes in biomass and trophic level of major species or groups, the relative contribution of target species or groups to the total flow of energy (throughput), and niche overlaps and impacts of competition between major species or groups. It showed that the Tongyeong ecosystem had 4 trophic levels. A large amount of energy flows occurred at trophic levels 3 and 4, and jacopever rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) and black rockfish (S. inermis) that were target species for stock enhancement belonged to trophic level 3, indicating that those two species played an important role in the ecosystem. Using an ecosystem dynamic model, Ecosim, the mechanism of dynamic changes in the quantity of target species or groups was investigated to identify the effects of stock enhancement activities and impacts of fishing intensity. After marine ranching activities, the biomass of two target species had increased, while those of most other fish groups decreased. Assuming that fishing mortality was double the current level, the biomass of most fish groups decreased but jacopever rockfish maintained its current stock level due to excessive stock enhancement and low fishing mortality in recent years. An ecosystem space model, Ecospace, was employed to simulate the temporal and spatial dynamics of the biomass of organisms in order to examine how resource enhancement activities have changed the distribution and abundance of target species or groups in the ecosystem. The distribution pattern of jacopever rockfish and black rockfish showed stronger aggregations around reefs and rocky areas with high stock densities after ranching. However, most of the other fish groups exhibited lower densities in the marine ranching area, while they showed higher densities outside the marine ranching area. Thus, it would be necessary to take appropriate holistic management actions based on the ecosystem-based approach to keep the ranching ecosystem healthy and to maintain the fishery production of the ecosystem at the maximum sustainable level.     

Optimization of Chemical Oxygen Demand Determination in Seawater Samples Using the Alkaline Potassium Permanganate Method

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a practical parameter that is used to estimate the amount of organic pollutants in aqueous systems. It is generally used as a guideline to control the quality of waste treatment effluent globally and is a management tool to evaluate the total pollution load in the highly developed coastal regions of Korea. It is a preferred method because of the speed and simplicity of the analysis and because there are fewer instrumentation requirements. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) of the Republic of Korea developed a standard procedure for the measurement of COD. It has been revised several times, and the most recent revision was made in 2013 (MOF 2013–230). In this study, we modified the standard COD measurement procedure (MOF 2013–230), especially the sample digestion apparatus, to enhance analytical efficiency for a large sample number (batch), which is called a Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) modified MOF 2013–230. We examined uncertainty related to each experimental step and optimized laboratory conditions to reduce such uncertainties. The detection limit and estimated expanded uncertainty related to the KIOST modified MOF 2013–230 was 0.18 and 0.11 mg O₂/L at a 95% confidence level (k = 2), respectively. This study also provides several tips to maintain consistent COD measurements in seawater using the alkaline potassium permanganate method.     

First record of the percophidid fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Osopsaron formosensis</Emphasis> (Percophidae: Hemerocoetinae) off Jeju Island,Korea

A specimen of Osopsaron formosensis was collected at the southeastern part of Jeju Island in June 2008. This specimen is to be distinguished from congeneric species using the key characters such as the eye with dorsal iris flap, cheek with scales, elongated dorsal spine, the length and the numbers of the first dorsal spines, and black pigmentation of the dorsal fin membrane. This report was the first record of O. formosensis from Korea. We named it ‘No-ran-tti-nun-tung-ii’ in Korean.     

Numerical simulations using momentum source wave-maker applied to RANS equation model

For Navier-Stokes equation model using the VOF scheme, Lin and Liu (Lin, P. and Liu, P.L.-F. (1999). Internal wave-maker for Navier-Stokes equations models. J. Waterw. Port Coast. Ocean Eng., 125 (4), 207–215.) developed an internal wave-maker method for which a mass source function of the continuity equation was used to generate target wave trains. Using this internal wave-maker method, various numerical experiments have been conducted without any problems due to waves reflected by a wave-maker. In this study, an internal wave-maker method using a momentum source function was proposed. Various numerical simulations in two and three dimensions were performed using the momentum source wave-maker applied to the RANS equation model in a CFD code, FLUENT. To verify their applicability in 2 dimensions, the computational results obtained using the momentum source wave-maker in a channel of constant depth were compared with the results obtained by using the mass source wave-maker and with the analytical solutions. And the results of the present numerical simulations of hydraulic experiments, which represent nonlinear waves on a submerged shoal and breaking waves on a plane beach, were compared with measurements. The comparisons showed good agreements between them. To see their applicability into 3-dimensional cases, the present results in a basin of constant depth were compared with the analytical solutions, and they agreed well with each other. In addition, vertical variation of longshore current was presented by using the 3-dimensional simulation results.     

Evolution of waves and currents over a submerged laboratory shoal

The vertically-integrated effect of interaction between waves and wave-induced currents on wave transformation over a submerged elliptic shoal was investigated based on numerical simulations of the Vincent and Briggs experiment [Vincent, C.L., Briggs, M.J., 1989. Refraction- diffraction of irregular waves over a mound. Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering, 115(2), pp. 269–284.]. The numerical simulations were performed using two numerical wave-current model systems: one, a combination of the wave model SWAN and the current model SHORECIRC, and the other, a combination of the wave model REF/DIF and the same current model. A time-dependent, phase-resolving wave and current model, FUNWAVE, was also utilized to simulate the experiment. In the simulations, the developed wave-induced currents defocused waves behind the shoal and brought on a wave shadow zone that showed relatively low wave height distributions. For the breaking case of monochromatic waves, the wave heights computed using FUNWAVE showed good agreement with the measurements and the resulting wave-induced currents showed a jet-like velocity distribution in transverse direction. And the computed results of the two model combinations agreed better with the measurements than the computed results obtained by neglecting wave-current interaction. However, it was found that for the case in which transverse interference pattern caused by refracted waves was strong, REF/DIF-SHORECIRC did not correctly evaluate radiation stresses, the gradients of which generate wave-induced currents. SWAN-SHORECIRC, which cannot deal with the interference patterns, predicted a jet-like wave-induced current. For breaking random wave cases, the computed results of the two model combinations and FUNWAVE agreed well with the measurements. The agreements indicate that it is necessary to take into account the effect of wave-induced current on wave refraction when wave breaking occurs over a submerged shoal.     

Effects of sodium cyanide (nacn) on the endogenous rhythm of the oxygen consumption rate in the black rockfishsebastes schlegeli

Laboratory bioassays were conducted to test the acute toxicity effects of sudden exposure to sodium cyanide (NaCN) on the endogenous rhythm of the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in the black rockfishSebastes schlegeli. The OCR of the black rockfish (n = 14, total length = 20.4 ± 1.16 cm, wet weight = 158 ± 25 g) was measured with an automatic intermittentflow-respirometer. OCR decreased significantly when experimental fish were exposed to NaCN. When exposed to 10 ppb NaCN, fish were able to recover their OCR rhythmic activities. When fish were exposed to 20 ppb, however, the metabolic activity rhythms were not recovered. These results suggest that exposure to NaCN concentrations over 20 ppb cause severe physiological damage to the endogenous rhythms of black rockfish.