Bathymetry, biota and sediments on the Hirota Reef, Tane-ga-shima – the northernmost coral reef in the Ryukyu Islands

Abstract Investigations were conducted on bathymetry, reef biota and sediments on the Hirota Reef, Tane‐ga‐shima, North Ryukyus, near the northern limit for coral‐reef formation. A bathymetric profile from shore to the reef edge was depicted along an approximately 420‐m transect on the Hirota Coast of this island. A total of 20 quadrats (1 m × 1 m) were analyzed along the profile at 10‐ or 20‐m intervals to clarify distribution of macrobenthos inhabiting the reef. The Hirota Reef is divided into four geomorphologic zones according to their depth, gradient, surface roughness, substrate and characteristic macrobenthos. They are, from shore to offshore, shallow lagoon, seaward reef flat, reef edge and reef slope. The shallow lagoon comprises a shoreward depression (∼160 m wide on the transect) with a sand/gravel bottom that inclines gently toward offshore, and a seaward patch zone (∼70 m wide). The patches (<2 m high) are covered with fleshy algae, coralline algae and hermatypic corals. The seaward reef flat (∼190 m wide) is a flat plane that is constructed by biogenic carbonates and is covered with turf algae, with hermatypic corals scattered. Although the seaward reef flat of the Hirota Reef cannot be differentiated into different geomorphologic zones, similar seaward reef flat areas in the Central and South Ryukyus can be clearly subdivided into inner reef flat, reef crest and outer reef flat. This difference may be attributed to a lower reef growth rate and/or the later reef formation of the Hirota Reef in Holocene time than the southern examples. The coral fauna on the Hirota Reef is delineated by low diversity and characterized by taxa typical of high‐latitude, non‐reefal communities. The algal flora consists of tropical to subtropical species associated with warm‐temperate species. These faunal and floral characteristics may be related largely to lower water temperature in Tane‐ga‐shima than those in typical coral‐reef regions.     

230Th/234U and 14C dating of a lowstand coral reef beneath the insular shelf off Irabu Island, Ryukyus, southwestern Japan

Abstract   High-resolution seismic reflection profiles delineated the distribution of mound-shaped reflections, which were interpreted as reefs, beneath the insular shelf western off Irabu Island, Ryukyus, southwestern Japan. A sediment core through one of the mounded structures was recovered from the sea floor at a depth of −118.2 m by offshore drilling and was dated by radiometric methods. The lithology and coral fauna of the core indicate that the mounded structure was composed of coral–algal boundstone suggesting a small-scaled coral reef. High-precision α-spectrometric ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U dating coupled with calibrated accelerator mass spectrometric ¹⁴C ages of corals obtained reliable ages of this reef ranging from 22.18 ± 0.63 to 30.47 ± 0.98 ka. This proves that such a submerged reef was formed during the lowstand stage of marine oxygen isotope stages 3–2. The existence of low-Mg calcite in the aragonitic coral skeleton of 22.18 ± 0.63 ka provides evidence that the reef had once been exposed by lowering of the relative sealevel to at least −126 m during the last glacial maximum in the study area. There is no room for doubt that a coral reef grew during the last glacial period on the shelf off Irabu Island of Ryukyus in the subtropical region of western Pacific.     

南沙群岛珊瑚礁区仙掌藻的现代沉积特征

仙掌藻为温暖水体中钙化的绿藻,是南沙群岛珊瑚礁区重要的钙质沉积物源。对南沙群岛８座环礁现代沉积物样品的分析表明,仙掌藻碎屑在环礁各地貌沉积带沉积物中的含量,以泻湖盆底最高,平均为32.66％,最高可达75％,泻湖坡次之,平均9.22％,礁坪含量低,平均6.06％。南沙群岛仙掌藻以砂质基底上生长的直立类型为主,能生长于各个地貌沉积带,最适生态环境为封闭性好、泻湖面积大、水深较大（10～25m）、水动力弱的砂质泻湖盆底。仙掌藻的现代沉积特征反映了其生态特征,可作为中新世以来珊瑚礁沉积相划分的依据。     

珊瑚礁工程地质学——新学科的提出

珊瑚礁是一种特殊的岩土类型,珊瑚礁工程地质学是工程地质学的一个新的研究领域,本文简要介绍了珊瑚礁和珊瑚礁工程地质学的概念以及珊瑚礁工程地质性质的研究概况,提出了珊瑚礁工程地质学的学科方向与任务指出了珊瑚礁工程地质学研究面临的主要问题。     

Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry （TIMS）－U－Series Ages of Corals from the South China Sea and Holocene High Sea Level

1IntroductionTostudyglobalchangesinthepast (PAGES) ,i.e.,paleo climaticandpaleoenvironmentalchanges,itisnecessarytoestablishahigh resolutionandhigh precisiontimescale .Lateinthe1 980s,Edwardsetal.( 1 987,1 987)developedthethermalionizationmassspectrometry U seriesdatingmethod (TIMS)andtheyusedthismethodtoconducttheprecisedatingofthecharacteristicclimateeventssincethelastinterglacialperiod .Theirscientificpracticearousedgreatinterestofsci entificworkersengagedinQuaternaryenvironment (Peng…     

High-frequency climatic oscillations recorded in a Holocene coral reef at Leizhou Peninsula, South China Sea

A detailed study of the Goniopora reef profile at Dengloujiao, Xuwen County, Leizhou Peninsula, the northern coast of the South China Sea suggests that a series of high-frequency, large-amplitude and abrupt cold events occurred during the Holocene Hypsithermal, an unusual phenomenon termed “Leizhou Events” in this paper. This period (corresponding to ¹⁴C age of 6.2-6.7 kaBP or calendar age of 6.7-7.2 kaBP), when the climatic conditions were ideal for coral reefs to develop, can be divided into at least nine stages. Each stage (or called a “climate optimum”), lasting about 20 to 50 a, was terminated by an abrupt cold nap and (or) a sea-level lowering event in winter, leading to widespread emergence and death of the Goniopora corals, and growth discontinuities on the coral surface. Such a cyclic process resulted in the creation of a >4m thick Goniopora reef flat. During this period, the crust subsided periodically but the sea level was rising. The reef profile provides valuable archives for the study of decadal-scale mid-Holocene climatic oscillations in the tropical area of South China. Our results provide new evidence for high-frequency climate instability in the Holocene Hypsithermal, and challenge the traditional understanding of Holocene climate.     

南海长棘海星物种有效性探讨

南海长棘海星暴发已严重威胁到该海域珊瑚礁生态系统健康,乃至整个南海生物多样性。针对南海长棘海星拉丁学名混用、中文名不统一的现状,我们采集了中沙群岛济猛暗沙海域长棘海星样品,结合长棘海星此前物种分类和分布的研究结果,对南海长棘海星物种有效性进行探讨。结果表明：所有长棘海星序列明显分为4个类群,各类群间遗传距离范围为0.087 5~0.104 7,达到了种间差异水平。南海长棘海星与长棘海星的太平洋种聚类到一起,实为太阳长棘海星(Acanthaster solaris),与其余3个种存在明显的种间差异。太阳长棘海星中2个支系间的遗传距离为0.005 3,在COⅠ基因层面属于种内差异。南海长棘海星物种有效性的研究结果为后续开展其遗传特征与适应性机制、种群分布与扩散机制、种群暴发机制等内容的研究提供科学依据。     

三沙永乐龙洞洞内侧壁礁体矿物和元素组成及其晚更新世以来的形成演化

三沙永乐龙洞深度在300m左右,是目前全球已知最深的海洋蓝洞,但是对其性质和成因了解极其有限。本研究使用X射线粉晶衍射仪、X射线荧光光谱仪、AMS14C测年等分析测试方法对采自不同深度的洞壁礁体的矿物物相、元素含量和形成年代进行了测定,探讨了洞壁性质和龙洞的演化。研究结果表明:三沙永乐龙洞洞内侧壁矿物均属于碳酸盐矿物,包括文石、高镁方解石和低镁方解石,平均含量分别为49.0%、46.6%、14.3%,它们主要来自钙质生物碎屑;洞内侧壁的主要元素是Ca、Mg、Sr,平均含量分别为36.8%、0.98%、0.48%。三沙永乐龙洞是一个复合体,17m以上岩石年龄晚于7.5cal kaBP,是全新世海平面上升时期形成的现代珊瑚礁体,没有经历过海平面下降引起的成岩作用; 17—35m岩石形成时代早于25cal ka BP,是经历了大气淡水成岩作用的晚更新世喀斯特溶洞,且在高海平面时期于17—23m以浅的空间内广泛发育洞内珊瑚礁。     

基于WorldView-2和GF-2遥感影像的赵述岛礁坪底质变化研究

以西沙群岛海域赵述岛礁坪为研究区域,应用2010年的WorldView-2和2015年的GF-2两期高分辨率卫星遥感影像数据,结合现场水下珊瑚礁照片和视频资料,建立了赵述岛礁坪底质类型遥感分类体系,分别构建了针对WorldView-2遥感影像和GF-2遥感影像的珊瑚礁底质分类决策树模型,并通过对两期遥感影像的底质类型提取结果的变化分析,完成了赵述岛礁坪退化区域的提取。结果表明:(1)WorldView-2影像的分类决策树具有91%的总体分类精度和0.89的Kappa系数,GF-2影像的分类决策树具有更高的分类精度;(2)6年期间研究区大约1/4的珊瑚礁分布区发生了退化;(3)最突出的自然变化是礁前区大面积的珊瑚丛生区转变成藻脊,结合相关资料认为东北季风、热带气旋和温度上升的综合影响是驱动因素;(4)赵述岛西侧的藻脊、珊瑚沉积区大面积转化为珊瑚砂和深水区域,原因是航道和码头的开发活动。研究分析了6年间赵述岛礁坪底质的退化状况,并分析原因,为珊瑚礁底质分类提供方法,并为西沙群岛的珊瑚礁监测和保护提供了有效资料和手段。