The interanual rainfall variability in Indonesia corresponding to El Niño Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole

The Impact of the Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) and the El Ni?o Southern Oscillation(ENSO) event for Indonesian rainfall has been investigated for the period from 1950 to 2011. Inter-annual change of IOD and ENSO indices are used to investigate their relationship with Indonesian rainfall. By using the wavelet transform method, we found a positive significant correlation between IOD and Indonesian rainfall on the time scale of nearly 2.5–4 years.Furthermore, the positive significant correlation between ENSO(sea surface temperature anomaly at Ni?o3.4 area indices) and Indonesian rainfall exists for shorter than 2 years and between 5.5 to 6.5-year time scales.     

Seismic radiation from dynamic coalescence, and the reconstruction of dynamic source parameters on a planar fault

The dynamic coalescence of two mode II cracks on a planar fault is simulated here using the elastodynamic boundary integral equation method. We focus on the complexity of the resultant slip rate and seismic radiation in the crack coalescence model (CCM) and on the reconstruction of a single crack model (SCM) that can reproduce the CCM waveforms from heterogeneous source parameters rather than coalescence. Simulation results reveal that localized higher slip rates are generated by coalescence as a result of stress interaction between the approaching crack tips. The synthesized seismic radiation exhibits a distinct coalescence phase that has striking similarities to stopping phases in the radiation and propagation properties. The corresponding SCM yields a singular increase in the stress drop distribution, which is accompanied by a sudden decrease in it across the point of coalescence in the CCM. This implies that the generation of high-frequency radiation is more efficient from coalescence than from stopping, although both phenomena exhibit the same strong  ω⁻²  -type displacement spectra.     

Customary Management System of Irrigation Ponds in Japan-a Case Study in a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Site of Noto Island,Ishikawa Prefecture

Recent research has showed increasing interest at the vital role of irrigation ponds that plays at biodiversity conservation, and provides ecological functions at a wide range. However, many irrigation ponds were abolished due to the economic and societal transformation in the rural. In particular, small-scale ponds were abolished and rebuilt to other public uses based on the consensus building process among the community. At the same time, civil organizations also launched initiatives to conserve irrigation ponds for its ecological significance or landscape scenery. However, study pertinent to the small scale ponds in the rural setting is largely neglected. This research aims at revealing the current situation of the utilization and management of small irrigation ponds using a case study of Noto Island in Ishikawa Prefecture. It was found that irrigation ponds are still under the traditional co-management of rural community. The most important finding in this study is that the traditional management of pond water use largely contributes to mitigate the harvest loss from natural disasters such as drought in the face of extreme climate. However, irrigation ponds are facing the threat of degradation due to the sharp decrease of farm population and the existing large number of part time farmers. Therefore, the small scale irrigation ponds and pertinent management and water use allotment should be revalued for its functions at a wide range from the biological and ecological functions and human knowledge system to mitigate disaster threats.     

Records of environmental and ecological changes related to excavation in varve sediment from Lake Hiruga in central Japan

Journal of Paleolimnology - Sub-annual-scale environmental and ecosystem changes since the mid-18th century were reconstructed in a semi-closed lagoon, Lake Hiruga, located along the Sea of Japan...     

Importance of intracellular Fe pools on growth of marine diatoms by using unialgal cultures and on the Oyashio region phytoplankton community during spring

We report on the ability for luxury Fe uptake and the potential for growth utilizing intracellular Fe pools for 4 coastal centric diatom isolates and in situ phytoplankton assemblages, mainly composed of diatoms. Iron uptake of the diatom isolates and natural phytoplankton assemblages in the Oyashio region during spring blooms were prevented by adding hydroxamate siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFB). After the addition of DFB, intracellular Fe in the diatom isolates supported 2.4–4.2 cell divisions with 1.2–2.6 Chl a doublings. The intracellular Fe was primarily used for cell generation rather than Chl a production, leading to a reduction in the Chl a cell quota in the Fe-starved cells with time. The metabolic properties of the Fe-starved cells with their cell morphologies were different among species or genera. An on-deck incubation experiment also exhibited 1.9 cell divisions and 0.81 Chl a doublings of phytoplankton after the addition of DFB, also indicating the preference of cell generation over Chl a production. A decrease in the level of cellular Chl a, a main light-harvesting pigment in Fe-starved diatoms, may become a superior survival strategy to protect the cells from high irradiance that can cause photo-oxidative damages through photosynthesis. Such relatively low-Fe with high-light conditions could often occur in surface waters of the Oyashio region from spring to summer.     

Heterogeneity in supraglacial debris thickness and its role in glacier mass changes of the Mount Gongga

In the Tibetan Plateau, many glaciers have extensive covers of supraglacial debris in their ablation zones, which affects glacier response to climate change by altering ice melting and spatial patterns of mass loss. Insufficient debris thickness data make it difficult to analyze regional debris-cover effects. Maritime glaciers of the Mount Gongga have been characterized by a substantial reduction in glacier area and ice mass in recent decades. The thermal property of the debris layer estimated from remotely sensed data reveals that debris-covered glaciers are dominant in this region, on which the proportion of debris cover to total glacier area varies from 1.74% to 53.0%. Using a physically-based debris-cover effect assessment model, we found that although the presence of supraglacial debris has a significant insulating effect on heavily debris-covered glaciers, it accelerates ice melting on ~10.2% of total ablation zone and produces rapid wastage of ~25% of the debris-covered glaciers, leading to the similar mass losses between the debris-covered and debris-free glaciers. Widespread debris cover also facilitates the development of active terminus regions. Regional differences in debris-cover effects are apparent, highlighting the importance of debris cover for understanding glacier mass changes in the Tibetan Plateau and other mountain ranges around the world.     

Chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficients and pigments of phytoplankton off Sanriku, northwestern North Pacific

The variety in shape and magnitude of thein vivo chlorophyll-specific absorption spectra of phytoplankton was investigated in relation to differences in pigment composition off Sanriku, northwestern North Pacific. Site-to-site variations of the absorption coefficients,a _ph ^* (λ), and pigment composition were clearly observed. At warm-streamer stations, higher values ofa _ph ^* (440) anda _ph ^* (650) were found with relatively high concentrations of chlorophyllb (a green algae marker). At stations located in the Oyashio water (cold streamer),a _ph ^* (440) values were lower and fucoxanthin (a diatom marker) concentrations were higher, compared to the other stations. The peak in the absorption spectra at the Oyashio stations was shifted toward shorter wavelengths, which was probably due to the presence of phaeopigments. In a Kuroshio warm-core ring, the magnitude ofa _ph ^* (440) was in between those at the warm-streamer and Oyashio stations, and the diagnostic pigment was peridinin (a dinoflagellate marker). These findings indicated that major differences in phytoplankton absorption spectra of each water mass were a result of differences in the phytoplankton pigment composition of each water mass, which was probably related to the phytoplankton community.     

Tectonic implications of new age data for the Meratus Complex of south Kalimantan, Indonesia

Cretaceous subduction complexes surround the southeastern margin of Sundaland in Indonesia. They are widely exposed in several localities, such as Bantimala (South Sulawesi), Karangsambung (Central Java) and Meratus (South Kalimantan).
The Meratus Complex of South Kalimantan consists mainly of mélange, chert, siliceous shale, limestone, basalt, ultramafic rocks and schists. The complex is uncomformably covered with Late Cretaceous sedimentary-volcanic formations, such as the Pitap and Haruyan Formations.
Well-preserved radiolarians were extracted from 14 samples of siliceous sedimentary rocks, and K–Ar age dating was performed on muscovite from 6 samples of schist of the Meratus Complex. The radiolarian assemblage from the chert of the complex is assigned to the early Middle Jurassic to early Late Cretaceous. The K–Ar age data from schist range from 110 Ma to 180 Ma. Three samples from the Pitap Formation, which unconformably covers the Meratus Complex, yield Cretaceous radiolarians of Cenomanian or older.
These chronological data as well as field observation and petrology yield the following constraints on the tectonic setting of the Meratus Complex.
(1) The mélange of the Meratus Complex was caused by the subduction of an oceanic plate covered by radiolarian chert ranging in age from early Middle Jurassic to late Early Cretaceous.
(2) The Haruyan Schist of 110–119 Ma was affected by metamorphism of a high pressure–low temperature type caused by oceanic plate subduction. Some of the protoliths were high alluminous continental cover or margin sediments. Intermediate pressure type metamorphic rocks of 165 and 180 Ma were discovered for the first time along the northern margin of the Haruyan Schist.
(3) The Haruyan Formation, a product of submarine volcanism in an immature island arc setting, is locally contemporaneous with the formation of the mélange of the Meratus Complex.     

Re-Suspension Technique for Improving Organic Rich Sediment-Water Quality in a Shallow Sea Area

The re-suspension method consists of (1) dispersion of the sediment by air-water jets, (2) pumping of the suspension (small particles and organic matter), (3) settlement in a tank, (4) filtration and (5) disposal of solids (followed by incineration in this case). The pilot test was performed to clean up an area of 3000 m². The dispersed depth of the bottom was approximately 50 cm. The time spent for the work was two weeks. The amount of re-suspended solid removed from the bottom was about 8 tonnes in dry mass. Since the solids contain high concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorous (T-P), total nitrogen (T-N) and sulfides, the remaining sediment was considerably improved. Quantitative analyses showed that the full-scale implementation would enable the removal of about 10% of the re-suspended solids, and reduce COD by 95%, T-P by 50%, T-N by 100% and sulfide by 75% for re-deposited sediments in comparison to the original sediments.     

Seasonal dynamics influencing coastal primary production and phytoplankton communities along the southern Myanmar coast

Myanmar is tenth among the world’s fish-producing countries and third in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). To understand the mechanisms underlying the high production, oceanographic and phytoplankton surveys, including primary productivity measurements based on pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry, were conducted near an active fishing ground near Myeik City. Three surveys, one in each of the representative seasons and covering the characteristic coastal environments, showed well-defined seasonality in primary production and phytoplankton occurrence. End of the dry season was the most productive, with productivity of 2.59 ± 1.56 g C m^?2 day^?1 and high concentration of chlorophyll a (3.14 ± 2.64 µg L^?1). In this season, the phytoplankton population was dominated by high densities of the diatoms Bellerochea horologicalis and Chaetoceros curvisetus, whereas primary productivity was low at the onset of the dry season, 1.36 ± 0.77 g C m^?2 day^?1. However, this low primary production might be compensated by activation of microbial food chains originating from high dissolved organic carbon. The rainy season exhibited the lowest production, 6.6% of the end of the dry season, due to the extensive discharge of turbid water from the rivers which lowered euphotic layer depth and resulted in an unusually high diffuse attenuation coefficient of 2.30 ± 1.03 m^?1. This incident of turbid water may be related to soil erosion from deforestation and mangrove deterioration. This research reveals the seasonal trend in Myanmar’s coastal productivity and its relationship to the tropical monsoon climate as well as emphasizing the importance of tropical coastal environments to the sustainability of the fisheries.