Beneath the surface: Characteristics of oceanic ecosystems under weak mixing conditions – A theoretical investigation

This study considers an important biome in aquatic environments, the subsurface ecosystem that evolves under low mixing conditions, from a theoretical point of view. Employing a conceptual model that involves phytoplankton, a limiting nutrient and sinking detritus, we use a set of key characteristics (thickness, depth, biomass amplitude/productivity) to qualitatively and quantitatively describe subsurface biomass maximum layers (SBMLs) of phytoplankton. These SBMLs are defined by the existence of two community compensation depths in the water column, which confine the layer of net community production; their depth coincides with the upper nutricline. Analysing the results of a large ensemble of simulations with a one-dimensional numerical model, we explore the parameter dependencies to obtain fundamental steady-state relationships that connect primary production, mortality and grazing, remineralization, vertical diffusion and detrital sinking. As a main result, we find that we can distinguish between factors that determine the vertically integrated primary production and others that affect only depth and shape (thickness and biomass amplitude) of this subsurface production layer. A simple relationship is derived analytically, which can be used to estimate the steady-state primary productivity in the subsurface oligotrophic ocean. The fundamental nature of the results provides further insight into the dynamics of these “hidden” ecosystems and their role in marine nutrient cycling.     

Metridia pacifica in Dabob Bay, Washington: The diatom effect and the discrepancy between high abundance and low egg production rates

Information on life cycle strategies and reproductive parameters of Metridia pacifica is scarce, despite its importance in the zooplankton of the subarctic Pacific. In many regions it occurs in high abundance, but reproductive rates, when reported, are usually low. This discrepancy was studied in Dabob Bay, Washington, USA, in the context of an investigation of the effect of diatom blooms on the reproductive success of copepod grazers.In situ egg production rates of M. pacifica were measured in spring and mid-summer with standard methods (multi-wells) and a new incubation chamber (spawning towers) that separates the spawning female from its eggs and allows the eggs to develop undisturbed. Many females did not produce eggs, possibly due to a high fraction of immature individuals. Egg production rates were variable, but clutch sizes were higher in spawning towers, and estimates of female egg cannibalism revealed that females consume many eggs shortly after their release. Thus, a separation of females and eggs is mandatory for accurate measurements of M. pacifica egg production rates. The maximum clutch sizes recorded in our study were comparable to measurements for other calanoids. However, unviable eggs were a large fraction of those spawned, independent of incubation method, especially in late winter and early spring. In order to assess whether the diatom effect may be responsible for low viability of embryos and nauplii, we also measured in situ grazing. Adult females were omnivorous, but they ingested some diatoms that rank among the strongest anti-mitotic toxin producers known so far. Although M. pacifica’s vertical migration behavior suggests opportunistic feeding on abundant food during their short stay in the phytoplankton-rich surface, they often ignored the food items that contributed most to microplankton carbon concentrations. Thus, their feeding strategy remains ambiguous. Due to severe reproductive failure early in the season, recruitment was impaired in spring, while the population increased, reaching high abundance in mid-summer when reproductive output was low. While advection and interannual variability in bloom conditions might compensate for the losses described here, the paradox of high Metridia abundance versus low reproductive success still requires further investigation, and methodological constraints need to be ruled out in future studies.     

Spatial and temporal variability of microplankton and detritus, and their export to the shelf sediments in the upwelling area off Concepción, Chile (∼36°S), during 2002-2005

Seasonal variations in diversity and biomass of diatoms, tintinnids, and dinoflagellates and the contribution of microplankton and faecal material to the vertical flux of particulates were investigated at one time series station T (station 18) between 2002 and 2005 and at a grid of stations during November 2004 in the coastal and oceanic area off Concepción (36°S), Chile. The variations were analysed in relation to water column temperature, dissolved oxygen, nutrient concentration, offshore Ekman transport, and chlorophyll-a concentration. Abundance was estimated as cell numbers per litre and biomass in terms of biovolume and carbon units.A sharp decrease with depth was observed in the abundance of both phytoplankton and microzooplankton during the whole annual cycle; over 70% of their abundance was concentrated in the upper 10 m of the water column. Also, a clear seasonality in microplankton distribution was observed at station T, with maxima for diatoms, tintinnids, and dinoflagellates every summer (centred on January) from 2002 to 2005.On the grid of stations, the maximum integrated (0-50 m) micro-phytoplankton abundances (>1 × 10⁹ cells m⁻²) occurred at the coastal stations, an area directly influenced by upwelling. A similar spatial distribution was observed for the integrated (0-200 m) faecal carbon (with values up to 632 mg C m⁻²). Tintinnids were distributed in all the first 300 miles from the coast and dinoflagellates were more abundant in oceanic waters.At station T, the average POC export production (below 50 m depth) was 16.6% (SD = 17%; range 2-67%; n = 16). The biological-mediated fluxes of carbon between the upper productive layer and the sediments of the continental shelf off Concepción depend upon key groups of phytoplankton (Thalassiosira spp., Chaetoceros spp.) and zooplankton (euphausiids) through the export of either cells or faecal material, respectively.     

近海海面上水汽向上输送的季节性差异

本文分析了雷达观测结果，发现近海海面上的水汽向上输送随季节而变化，由于季节的变化和不同的天气情况，海表面大气现象在雷达中有不同的显示，根据这些显示得到了不同的信息，由此而得出春秋两季海表面水汽向上输送量的不同。     

秦皇岛砂滩海洋线虫的数量研究

在两年的周期内,对秦皇岛4个砂滩的海洋线虫进行了6次芯样采集。灯塔、新煤码头、汤河口和北戴河赤土山4个砂滩均系分选好的细砂或中细砂,其中值粒径为140-285μm。对连续16个芯样计数的变异性所做的测试证明,1,2和3个芯样计算所得95％C.L.分别是0.539X—1.855X,0.647X—1.547X和0.700X—1.428X。秦皇岛砂滩海洋线虫的年平均密度:中潮带上区为1381±441 inds.10cm~(-2)。中潮带下区为1264±538 inds.10cm~(-2)。灯塔和新煤码头砂滩,8月出现高密度值,与温度的季节变化相符合,而汤河口则出现最低值,可能与污染物的大量排出有关。多数砂滩的大部分芯样显示了明显的重直分布,即种群数量的大部分集中在芯样顶部的两个分层:0～4和5～8cm。没有发现垂直分布的季节变化趋势。与世界其他海区砂滩的资料进行了比较。     

黄海溶解氧垂直分布最大值的成因

本文对黄海溶解氧垂直分布中最大值的成因进行了探讨．认为：浮游植物春花期光合作用产生的大量氧，是溶解氧垂直分布最大值得以在春季（5月）形成的基础；而良好的温、密跃层的存在是氧最大值得以形成的必要条件，夏季叶绿素最大值层中较强的光合作用，是氧最大值在夏季得以维持甚至增强的主要原因．提出：黄海春、夏季溶解氧垂直分布中的最大值并非主要由冬季保持而来．     

海面对风应力的非定常响应

针对常垂直湍流系数和变垂直湍流系数两种情况，给出了开阔静止海面对风应力的非定常响应的解析表达式，并讨论了水深，风应力强弱对响应过程的影响，尽管没有考虑风场的非定常性，但本文的结果对理解海洋对风应力的非定常响应过程具有一定的帮助，对分析海面停风后的消衰过程也具有实际意义。通过与实测资料比较，认为垂直湍流系数模式要比常垂直湍流系数模式更为合理。     

主动式声纳列阵拖曳系统姿态数值计算

主动式声纳列阵拖曳系统是用于探测潜艇的新型声纳系统，为了准确探测潜艇的位置，必须首先预报声纳列阵的瓷态，本文通过对其三维力学模型的分析，得到该系统的运动微分方程，其中缆索的力学方程是基于Ablow和Milinazzo的模型，而对于拖体则运用六自由度空间运动方程模拟，结合边界条件，用有限差分法求解，通过对拖船的不同运动状态如匀速，变速和回转的计算，证明本文的方法对于预报声纳列阵的姿态是有效的。     

地形因素对航空面阵CCD影像的影响分析与评价

地形因素,包括地面起伏和地球曲率,是造成航空数字遥感影像变形的主要原因之一.本文以中国科学院遥感所自行研发的多模态航空CCD相机系统为对象,结合其成像模式和几何形态,分析了地形因素给影像带来的变形,推导出航空面阵CCD影像变形的一般公式,并通过概算进行了定量评价,得出了对于航空面阵CCD影像,要想得到高精度的几何处理,必须改正地球曲率影响的结论.