Distribution and bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides residues in sediments and Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) from along the Mid-Western coast of Korea

The distribution and bioaccumulation features of PCBs, DDTs, and HCHs were investigated in the sediments and Manila clams collected from along the Mid-Western coast of Korea. The measured concentrations of ΣPCBs, ΣDDTs and ΣHCHs were 1.08–3.5, 0.12–0.35 and 0.090–0.30 ng g⁻¹ dw in sediment, and 33–390, 7.4–46 and 6.3–27 ng g⁻¹ lipid in Manila clam, respectively. Their levels were found to be relatively lower than those of other contaminated areas and the consumption of Manila clam from these areas seems to be safe for human health according to calculated lifetime cancer risk and hazard indices. The ΣPCBs and ΣDDTs concentrations in sediments showed a significant relationship to those in clams. The significant correlation was observed between BSAF in clams and K_ow for each PCB congeners and DDT metabolites. These findings support that the PCBs and DDTs levels, which are highly hydrophobic chemicals, in clam reflect the sediment pollution through bioaccumulation.     

Development of an operational rainfall data quality-control scheme based on radar-raingauge co-kriging analysis

Abstract

Automatic raingauge data often serve as an important input to hydrological and weather warning operations. They are not only fundamental in quantitative rainfall analysis, but also act as the ground truth in warning operation and forecast validation. Quality control is required before the data can be used quantitatively due to systematic and random errors. Extremely large random errors and unreasonably small or false zero values can hamper effective monitoring of heavy rain. Yet both are difficult to detect in real-time by objective means. In an attempt to address these problems, a rainfall data quality-control scheme based on radar-raingauge co-kriging analysis was developed. The important threshold values required in the data quality control of 60-min raingauge rainfall were determined from a detailed analysis of the distributions of rainfall residuals defined as the arithmetic difference and the logarithm of the ratio between a raingauge measurement and its co-kriging estimate. The scheme has been developed and is in real-time use in Hong Kong, a coastal city of about 1100 km² area with more than 150 raingauges installed. Geographically, it is located in the subtropics and dominated by heavy convective rainfall in the summer. As a basis of the quality-control scheme, the co-kriging rainfall analysis was shown through a verification exercise to be superior to those obtained by the Barnes analysis and ordinary kriging of raingauge data. The performance of the quality-control algorithm was assessed using selected cases and controlled tests, and was found to be satisfactory, with a high error detection rate for the two targeted types of error. Limitations and operational issues identified during a real-time trial of the quality-control scheme are also discussed.

Citation Yeung, H.Y., Man, C., Chan, S.T., and Seed, A., 2014. Development of an operational rainfall data quality-control scheme based on radar-raingauge co-kriging analysis. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (7), 1285–1299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.839873     

Aftershock sequence simulations using synthetic earthquakes and rate-state seismicity formulation

We use an efficient earthquake simulator that incorporates rate-state constitutive properties and uses boundary element method to discretize the fault surfaces, to generate the synthetic earthquakes in the fault system. Rate-and-state seismicity equation is subsequently employed to calculate the seismicity rate in a region of interest using the Coulomb stress transfer from the main shocks in the fault system. The Coulomb stress transfer is obtained by resolving the induced stresses due to the fault patch slips onto the optimal-oriented fault planes. The example results show that immediately after a main shock the aftershocks are concentrated in the vicinity of the rupture area due to positive stress transfers and then disperse away into the surrounding region toward the background rate distribution. The number of aftershocks near the rupture region is found to decay with time as Omori aftershock decay law predicts. The example results demonstrate that the rate-and-state fault system earthquake simulator and the seismicity equations based on the rate-state friction nucleation of earthquake are well posited to characterize the aftershock distribution in regional assessments of earthquake probabilities.     

SCI-E干旱区研究重要期刊与投稿指南

应用文献计量学方法,在对1997--2005年SCI-E收录的世界干旱区研究论文进行统计、分析、研究的基础上,通过期刊发义量指标（V1）、论文被引次数指标（V2）和期刊影响因子（V3）三项指标的加权综合评判分析,评选出世界范围内干旱区研究领域的28种重要期刊。介绍了世界干旱区研究重要期刊的相关投稿信息。     

气候系统模式FGOALS_gI模拟的小冰期气候

利用1650～1750年逐年变化的太阳辐照度等外强迫资料,驱动中国科学院大气物理研究所LASG发展的快速气候系统模式FGOALS_gl,模拟了小冰期(LIA)气候.把模拟的LIA表面温度变化与重建资料进行对比,结果表明FGOALS_gl对LIA气候具有较强的模拟能力,说明太阳辐照度的自然变化是导致小冰期气候的重要成因.模拟结果显示,LIA时期纬向平均温度变化表现为整个对流层降温,低纬度地Ⅸ的降温中心位于对流层中层,北半球降温幅度大于南半球,高纬地区的降温幅度大于低纬地区.分析发现,中高纬地区的局地温度变化主要与环流异常相对应的冷暖平流有关;低纬地区的降温主要与赤道东风加强有关,东风增强通过增大蒸发和引起次表层冷海水上翻而令表层温度降低.LIA时期的降水变化丰要位于中低纬地区,表现为日界线东(西)侧降水的负(正)异常.与降水异常相对应.Walker环流加强,东太平洋对流活动减弱,它与低纬地区对流层中层冷异常相联系.与大气层顶净短波辐射异常的季节变化相对应,南、北半球夏季平均表面温度异常较之冬季低0.28℃左右.     

Description of a small goby, Trimma grammistes (Perciformes: Gobiidae), from Jeju Island, Korea

A small goby, Trimma grammistes, was described in detail as the first reliable record from Korea based on 10 specimens (27.8～34.0 mm SL) collected from the coastal waters of Jeju Island. The species is easily differentiated from congeners by having no scales on the predorsal region, VI-I, 10 dorsal fin rays modally, I, 10 anal fin rays, 18 pectoral fin rays, 27～30 longitudinal scales as well as two dark longitudinal bands on the body.     

中国冻土对气候变化的脆弱性

冻土的脆弱性是指冻土对气候变化的脆弱性,是冻土易受气候变化,尤其是温度变化不利影响的程度. 研究冻土对气候变化的脆弱性是提高对自然生态系统、工程系统、生态-社会-经济系统对冻土变化影响的脆弱性的认知,科学适应冻土变化诸种影响的前提和基础. 基于科学性与实际相结合的原则、全面性与主导性原则、可操作性原则,以暴露度、敏感性与适应能力为标准,遴选构建了我国冻土脆弱性评价指标体系. 借助RS与GIS技术平台,使用空间主成分方法,构建了冻土脆弱性指数模型,在区域尺度上综合评价了冻土的脆弱性. 依据自然分类法,将冻土脆弱性分为潜在脆弱、轻度脆弱、中度脆弱、强度脆弱与极强度脆弱5级. 结果表明：总体上我国冻土以中度脆弱为主,但青藏高原多年冻土对气候变化尤为脆弱;冻土脆弱性具有显著的地域分布特点,青藏高原、西部高山、东北多年冻土区脆弱性相对较高,季节冻土区相对较低. 与季节冻土相比,多年冻土对气候变化更脆弱. 在当前升温幅度条件下,冻土脆弱程度主要取决于冻土的地形暴露与冻土对气候变化的适应能力.     

Analysis of recent climate change over the Arctic using ERA-Interim reanalysis data

This study investigates recent climate change over the Arctic and its link to the mid-latitudes using the ERA-Interim global atmospheric reanalysis data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast （ECMWF）. Since 1979, sub- stantial surface warming, associated with the increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gases, has occurred over the Arctic. The great- est warming in winter has taken place offshore in the Kara-Barents Sea, and is associated with the increase in turbulent heat fluxes from the marginal ice zone. In contrast to the marked warming over the Arctic Ocean in winter, substantial cooling appears over Siberia and eastern Asia, linked to the reduction of Arctic sea ice during the freezing season （September-March）. However, in summer, very little change is observed in surface air temperature over the Arctic because increased radiative heat melts the sea ice and the amount of turbulent heat gain from the ocean is relatively small. The heat stored in the upper ocean mixed layer in summer with the opening of the Arctic Ocean is released back to the atmosphere as turbulent heat fluxes during the autumn and through to the following spring. This warming of the Arctic and the reduced sea ice amplifies surface cooling over Siberia and eastern Asia in winter.     

Massive sedimentation of fine sediment with organic matter and enhanced benthic-pelagic coupling by an artificial dyke in semi-enclosed Chonsu Bay, Korea

To assess the impact of an artificial dyke in Chonsu Bay (CBD) on the organic carbon (C(org)) cycle, we measured excess (210)Pb activities, C(org) and nitrogen content in sediment cores. The C(org) oxidation rates (C(ox)) on the surface sediment and benthic nutrient fluxes were also quantified with an in situ benthic chamber. The higher excess (210)Pb inventory, C(org) and nitrogen in cores near the CBD indicated lateral transport and local, massive deposition of particulate matter due to tidal circulation altered by artificial dyke construction. The C(ox) in sediment near the CBD was about twice as high as that out of the bay, suggesting the importance of benthic remineralization of organic matter. The benthic fluxes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate were four to six times higher than those outside the bay, corresponding to 141% and 131% respectively, of the requirements for primary production.     

Prevalence and diversity of norovirus genogroups I and II in Hong Kong marine waters and detection by real-time PCR

Marine waters from six sites around Hong Kong with varying levels of sewage pollution were examined for noroviruses (NoVs) by PCR cloning and sequencing of a highly-variable N-terminal region of the VP1 capsid gene, at the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoV. Phylogenetic analysis of genogroups GI- and GII-specific PCR clones obtained from different marine sites indicated that human NoV GI.1 and GII.4 strains are the most prevalent genotypes circulating in Hong Kong waters. GI- and GII-specific TaqMan-based real-time PCR assays targeting the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoVs were used to quantify NoV particles in marine water samples in parallel with total Escherichia coli counts which were enumerated on TBX medium. No correlation of any significance between NoV and E. coli counts was observed which highlighted the inadequacy in using E. coli as a fecal indicator to predict the level of NoVs in marine waters to protect public health.