A comparison of three marine ecosystems surrounding the Korean peninsula: Responses to climate change

This study uses a comparative approach to examine responses of marine ecosystems to climatic regime shifts. The three seas surrounding the Korean peninsula, the Japan/East Sea, the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea represent three contiguous but distinct ecosystems. Sampling has been carried out by the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute of South Korea since 1965, using the same methods in all three seas. Sampling was generally synoptic. Amplitude time series of 1st EOF modes for temperature, salinity, zooplankton biomass and concentrations of four major zooplankton taxa were used to determine whether the three marine ecosystems respond in a similar manner to climate variations. Temporal patterns of the variables were strongly similar among the three seas at decadal time scales, but very weakly similar at interannual scales. All three seas responded to a climatic regime shift that occurred in 1989. Temperature, zooplankton biomass and copepod concentrations increased in the late 1980s or early 1990s in all three seas. Concentrations of amphipods, chaetognaths and euphausiids also increased in the Japan/East Sea and the East China Sea, but not the Yellow Sea. The Yellow Sea ecosystem differs strongly from the other two seas, and water exchange between the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea is much weaker than that between the East China Sea and Japan/East Sea. Spatial patterns of zooplankton determined by the EOF analysis were closely related to currents and fronts in each of the three seas.     

Ostracode carbonate δ18O- and δ13C-signature of hydrological and climatic changes affecting Lake Neuchâtel,Switzerland, since the latest Pleistocene

Floating and grounded peat plateaus were studied in fens in the Yukon Territory (Canada). The peat deposit may be over 4 m thick and consists of a lower bed of aquatic peat overlain by humic fen peat, mesic fen peat and woody peat. Permafrost in the grounded peat plateaus is older than the 1200 year old White River Ash, whereas permafrost in the floating peat plateau is younger.Peat accumulation rates since 1200 years B.P. were greater in the fens (85–100 cm) than on the surface of the peat plateaus (25–55 cm). Where the peat plateau is free-floating, it will persist until the climate changes, causing the icy core to thaw. Where the peat plateau is frozen to the mineral substrate, it slowly drowns since the fen peat accumulates faster than the woody peat. This drowning results in degradation of the landform independently of the climate. Only degradation of floating peat plateaus can be used to identify climatic changes.This publication is the first paper in a series of papers presented at the session on Past Climatic Change and the Development of Peatlands at the ASLO and SWS Meetings in Edmonton, Canada, May 30–June 3, 1993. Dr. P. Kuhry and Dr S. C. Zoltai are serving as Guest Editors.     

220 ka以来萨拉乌苏河流域地层磁化率与气候变化

 萨拉乌苏河流域滴哨沟湾剖面磁化率变化结果表明:近220 ka来我国北方气候变化极不稳定,存在着不同尺度的频繁变化,特别是寒冷气候阶段变化尤为频繁,其中倒数第二次冰期存在5个气候旋回,末次冰期存在10个气候旋回。这些气候变化与深海氧同位素、极地冰芯反映的全球变化具有良好的对应关系,反映了该区气候变化与全球变化的一致性。控制本区气候变化的主要因素是全球冰量变化及太阳辐射影响的东亚季风变化。     

青藏高原腹地湖泊沉积对第四纪晚期古季风变化的响应

通过对青藏高原腹地的综合科学考察和对中心钻孔岩芯剖面的最新研究,用层序地层学与年代地层学和气候地层学相结合的方法,分辨出可可西里地区湖泊沉积记录(孔深7.25 m)的第四纪晚期距今3万余年以来的古气候变化,沉积物磁化率等因子综合表征的高原古季风变化是波动发展的,发生在仙女木期地质环境事件中的季风活动具有强烈暴发的特点,是高原季风发展中的突变事件,而且地表热点效应对其起到了激发作用。综合分析的研究成果表明,它的变化频谱与激变因子及其运行机制是伴随着青藏高原地质效应的演变而发展的,为研究第四纪冰消期以来的气候变化提供了新的信息。     

近45 a来中国西北年极端高、低温的变化及对区域性增暖的响应

利用中国西北五省(区)1960-2004年129个台站逐日最低、最高温度资料,从中统计出年极端高温发生频次、年极端低温发生频次、年极端高温强度、年极端低温强度以及年极端高温和低温开始和结束日期,分析了它们近45 a来的变化情况。结果表明:近45 a来中国西北年极端高温发生频次的增加趋势是明显的,而年极端低温发生频次的减少趋势更显著;中国西北近45 a来年极端高温的强度在不断增强,而极端低温的强度在不断减弱;近45 a来中国西北年极端高温开始日期逐渐提前,结束日期逐渐推迟,而年极端低温的开始日期在逐渐推迟,结束日期在逐渐提前;年极端低温发生频次的减少对于西北区域增暖的响应比年极端高温发生频次增加更显著,而年极端低温强度的减弱要比年极端高温强度的增强对西北区域性增暖的响应偏弱,年极端高温发生频次的增加同年极端高温强度的增强对西北区域性增暖的响应程度基本相当。     

Relations between climatic variability and hydrologic time series from four alluvial basins across the southwestern United States

Hydrologic time series of groundwater levels, streamflow, precipitation, and tree-ring indices from four alluvial basins in the southwestern United States were spectrally analyzed, and then frequency components were reconstructed to isolate variability due to climatic variations on four time scales. Reconstructed components (RCs), from each time series, were compared to climatic indices like the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), North American Monsoon (NAM), and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), to reveal that as much as 80% of RC variation can be correlated with climate variations on corresponding time scales. In most cases, the hydrologic RCs lag behind the climate indices by 1–36 months. In all four basins, PDO-like components were the largest contributors to cyclic hydrologic variability. Generally, California time series have more variation associated with PDO and ENSO than the Arizona series, and Arizona basins have more variation associated with NAM. ENSO cycles were present in all four basins but were the largest relative contributors in southeastern Arizona. Groundwater levels show a wide range of climate responses that can be correlated from well to well in the various basins, with climate responses found in unconfined and confined aquifers from pumping centers to mountain fronts.     

The log-normal distribution for hydraulic conductivity of compacted clays: Two or three parameters?

Risk and uncertainty assessments for waste containment systems employing clay barriers often include spatial variability in the hydraulic conductivity as part of the analysis. The two-parameter log-normal distribution is often used to describe the spatial variability, but for compacted clays the three-parameter form can be more appropriate. A statistical hypothesis test was developed that can be used to determine if the two- or three-parameter form of the log-normal distribution is more appropriate. The test is based on a likelihood ratio, comparing likelihood functions for the two- and three-parameter forms at their maximums. Likelihood functions are used assuming that a data set can be segregated into a set of distinct groups of hydraulic conductivities. A step-by-step calculation procedure is described and the test is applied to data collected from 45 sites.     

Climatic characteristics of summer high temperature and assessment methods in the large cities of North China

Based on the high temperature data of June to August in 1961-2000 in North China, the high temperature weather processes are investigated, and a more complete data set for severe high temperature processes is created. The climatic characteristics of adverse high temperature weather in Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Jinan and Taiyuan are analyzed respectively. The major features of the East-Asia Subtropical High and Transformed Continental High are discussed. The outcomes indicate that the influence of both East Asia Subtropical High and Transformed Continental High on these weather events varies, by a larger margin, from one city to another over North China and they are also closely related to the relative humidity. It is found that the behaviours of East-Asia Subtropical High and Transformed Continental High are the major important systems that give rise to the summer high temperature weather over the region. Based on these findings, the 5-day, 10-day and monthly assessment models for such high impact events have been developed. The assessment outcomes prove to be useful in assessing severe high-temperature events in major cities of North China.     

近45 a东北地区春季降水异常的气候特征

利用1959-2003年我国东北地区93站春季降水资料，将降水场分成5个区域，并在此基础之上分析了春季降水的时空变化特征，发现：降水量年际变化及长期趋势有明显的区域差异，呈东多西少的分布特征；西部是旱涝易发生区，近45a来降水量略有增多；降水量的周期振荡存在明显的区域差异。     

长江中下游夏季高温灾害机理及预测

利用我国1961-2003年夏季（6—8月）高温资料，建立长江中下游地区主要城市强高温及高温过程较完整的时间序列，探讨了该地区主要城市高温气候特征。分析该地区南京、杭州、南昌等城市夏季高温灾害机理，东亚副热带高压是造成长江中下游地区城市夏季高温的主要影响系统。在此基础上用均生函数-最佳子回归集构造预测模型，预测夏季月高温出现日数，通过42a高温资料预报检验，有较好的预测效果，值得在业务中应用。