The Bering Sea—A dynamic food web perspective

The Bering Sea is a high-latitude, semi-enclosed sea that supports extensive fish, seabird, marine mammal, and invertebrate populations and some of the world's most productive fisheries. The region consists of several distinct biomes that have undergone wide-scale population variation, in part due to fisheries, but also in part due to the effects of interannual and decadal-scale climatic variation. While recent decades of ocean observation have highlighted possible links between climate and species fluctuations, mechanisms linking climate and population fluctuations are only beginning to be understood. Here, we examine the food webs of Bering Sea ecosystems with particular reference to some key shifts in widely distributed, abundant fish populations and their links with climate variation. Both climate variability and fisheries have substantially altered the Bering Sea ecosystem in the past, but their relative importance in shaping the current ecosystem state remains uncertain.     

Seasonal variability of tropical cyclones generated over the South China Sea

The seasonal variability of tropical cyclones (CTCs) generated over the South China Sea (SCS) from 1948 to 2003 is analyzed. It peaks in occurrence in August and few generate in late winter (from January to March). The seasonal activity is attributed to the variability of atmosphere and ocean environments associated with the monsoon system. It is found that the monsoonal characteristics of the SCS basically determine the region of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis in each month.     

浙江近海夏季流场特征分析

为了揭示浙江近岸流场特征及沿程变化规律,于2006年和2009年夏季在浙江岸外3个固定点利用ADCP潜标进行了多个潮周期分层海流流速、流向观测。研究结果表明:(1)浙江沿岸流在中北部海域(A和B站位)为旋转流,流向呈顺时针方向旋转,在南部(C站位)涨潮流方向基本为北向,落潮方向为东偏北向;各站位海流在垂向上流向较一致。(2)3个站位垂线平均流速相近(44.4~51.1 cm/s),但平均流速的垂向分布差异明显;各站的最大流速均大于110 cm/s,且均出现在大潮涨急时刻。(3)观测期间,A(北部)、B(中北部)和C(南部)站位平均余流的大小分别为21.9,12.3和22.3 cm/s;受长江冲淡水影响,A和B站位中上层余流为西南向,从中层向底层流向呈逆时针方向偏转,下层流向呈东南向,可能为台湾暖流牵引所致,C站位余流流向在垂向较为一致,均为东北向,主要受季风影响。(4)夏季浙江沿岸流在沿浙江沿岸北上的过程中,在浙江中部(B和C站位中间)逐渐向东偏转(可能受台湾暖流的牵引),流经海域水深变大。(5)在夏季长江径流量偏小时段,浙江中北部近岸海域也存在向南的沿岸流(同冬季),其范围从长江口以南一直至浙江中北部。浙江近岸海流受季风、长江冲淡水和台湾暖流共同制约,但各区域的主要受控因素不同。     

吕宋海峡西侧海域混合层盐度低频变化特征分析

利用WOD09和Argo剖面资料,结合SODA、OFES、GPCP和WHOI等资料分析了吕宋海峡西侧海域混合层盐度1984—2010年间的长期变化趋势和年代际变化特征,并利用混合层盐度平衡方程探讨了其变化机理。研究结果表明:(1)吕宋海峡西侧海域的盐度整体上呈现下降趋势,线性趋势为-0.020/a;(2)以1999年为界,吕宋海峡西侧海域的盐度在1999年之前为正距平,最大正距平值可达0.14,平均值为0.05,在1999年之后为负距平,最大负距平值为-0.22,平均值为-0.06;(3)影响该海域混合层盐度的长期变化趋势和年代际变化的主要因素为平流作用,特别是黑潮入侵的变化。     

Comparison of long-, medium- and short-term variations of beach profiles with and without submerged geological control

Victoria Beach (Cadiz, Spain) comprises a rocky flat outcrop in its northern zone and a sand-rich southern zone. These natural features allowed for a 5-year monitoring period and subsequent analysis of two different profiles (one in each zone) based on differences in bottom contours. Topo-bathymetric data were analysed using empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) to determine changes over the short-, medium- and long-term. Several morphologic phenomena were identified (generalised erosion, seasonal or summer–winter tilting of the profile around different hinge points, berm development and its posterior destruction, etc.) in terms of their importance in explaining the variability of the collected data for both profiles. It is worth mentioning that both profiles undergo parallel regression in the medium-term. Thus, the 1st eigenfunction enabled us to identify the true regression of the beach shoreline, independent of seasonal or summer–winter slope changes. Reconstruction of profiles using EOF components demonstrated that though accretion periods in the medium-term were similar for both types of profiles, the accretion speed was much faster in the sand-rich profile than in the reef-protected profile (1.01 m³/day versus 0.33 m³/day). Moreover, the seasonal erosion rate and the subsequent shoreline retreat for the sand-rich profile were much larger than for the reef-protected profile (121 m³/year versus 29 m³/year). Analysis in the short-term (changes induced by a single day's storm) showed an instantaneous tilting of the profile, with the mobilised sand volume being much greater for the sand-rich than for the reef-protected profile (68 m³/m versus 12 m³/m).     

Role of sea surface temperature and rainfall in determining the stock and fishery of the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris,Mollusca, Cephalopoda) in Tunisia

Octopus (Octopus vulgaris, Mollusca, Cephalopoda) is an important and valuable fishery resource on the eastern and southern coasts of Tunisia, but its landings are highly variable. This paper explores the effect of environment on octopus catch per unit effort (CPUE) during a 12‐year period, through correlation analyses and the incorporation into surplus production models of sea surface temperature (SST) and rainfall data collected during cold (January–May) and hot (August–October) seasons. CLIMPROD software was used to select the appropriate model and fit it to the fishery and environment data. In both seasons, SST significantly contributed to CPUE variability; fishery production was influenced positively by cold season SST but negatively by hot season SST. Due to a poor fit with cold season data, the impact of rainfall was analysed only for the hot season, during which it has a positive effect on production. Results are discussed in view of the life‐cycle of octopus and the dynamics of the Tunisian fishery. This first study of octopus variability in Tunisia highlights the necessity to incorporate environmental influence into stock assessment and management advice.     

空间变异对海洋叶绿素a质量浓度遥感产品精度验证的影响

海洋叶绿素a质量浓度遥感产品是海洋初级生产力与海洋生态系统固碳能力研究的重要数据源,为了保证数据的可靠性,对遥感产品进行精度验证以及验证误差的成因分析尤为重要.遥感产品的验证过程中,由于空间变异的存在,使得遥感像元尺度内的实测数据具有不同的离散程度和统计分布特征,并由此产生了不同的误差统计结果.本文选择MODIS-Aq...     

Spatial distribution and behavior of dissolved selenium speciation in the South China Sea and Malacca Straits during spring inter-monsoon period

Selenium(Se) has been recognized as a key trace element that is associated with growth of primary producers in oceans. During March and May 2018, surface water(67 samples) was collected and measured by HG-ICP-MS to investigate the distribution and behavior of selenite [Se(IV)], selenate [Se(VI)] and dissolved organic selenides(DOSe) concentrations in the Zhujiang River Estuary(ZRE), South China Sea(SCS) and Malacca Straits(MS). It showed that Se(IV)(0.14–3.44 nmol/L) was the dominant chemical species in the ZRE, related to intensive manufacture in the watershed; while the major species shifted to DOSe(0.05–0.79 nmol/L) in the MS, associated with the wide coverage of peatland and intensive agriculture activities in the Malaysian Peninsula. The SCS was identified as the northern and southern sections(NSCS and SSCS) based on the variations of surface circulation.The insignificant variation of Se(IV) in the NSCS and SSCS was obtained in March, potentially resulting from the high chemical activity and related preferential assimilation by phytoplankton communities. Contrastively, the lower DOSe concentrations in the SSCS likely resulted from higher primary production and utilization during March. During May, the concentration of Se(IV) remained low in the NSCS and SSCS, while DOSe concentrations increased notably in the SSCS, likely due to the impact of terrestrial inputs from surface current reversal and subsequent accumulation. On a global scale, DOSe is the dominant Se species in tropical oceans, while Se(IV) and Se(VI) are major fractions in high-latitude oceans, resulting from changes in predominated phytoplankton and related biological assimilation.     

Fish trapping experiments in Northern New Zealand waters

Fish trapping experiments were carried out during 1973–75 along the north‐east coast of the North Island. The most effective trap type was the Z‐trap. Two sizes of Z‐trap were tested. Better results were obtained with the larger ones, which had an overall mean catch rate of 8.4 fish/trap day. The catch rate varied widely between areas, bottom types, and seasons. Best results were obtained in summer in depths greater than 20 m.     

Temporal and spatial variability in shallow- and deep-water populations of the invasive Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea in the Western Mediterranean

The invasive green alga Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea represents an important threat to the diversity of Mediterranean benthic coastal ecosystems by interfering with native species and modifying benthic assemblages. The present study deals, for the first time, with the temporal and spatial variability of the biomass and phenology of C. racemosa considering both deep- and shallow-water populations. Two sampling depths (30 and 10 m) were sampled at three different rocky bottom sites every 3 months in the Archipelago of Cabrera National Park (Western Mediterranean). All morphometric variables analysed showed a spatial variation and temporal patterns depending on depth. Between depths, C. racemosa biomass, stolon length, number of fronds and frond length were usually significantly higher at deep-water populations, suggesting that C. racemosa grows better in deep-waters. Deep- and shallow-water populations displayed a high temporal variation although no evidence of seasonal patterns was found, in contrast with what has been reported by other authors. The sources of this variability are still unknown but probably both physical factors and differential herbivory pressures display a key role.