Black band disease as a possible factor of the coral decline at the northern reef-flat of Yongxing Island,South China Sea

Black band disease(BBD),characterized by the Cyanobacterial dominated pathogenic consortium,is thought to play a key role in the global decline of the coral reef ecosystems.The present paper originally documents a case of BBD from Yongxing Island(Xisha Islands,South China Sea),and further probes the reasons of this abnormal phenomenon.Prior to 2007,corals at northern reef-flat of Yongxing Isand were in healthy growth.Catastrophic coral mortality occurred between 2007 and 2008.The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and PCR amplification,with universally conserved primers,were applied to detect the contagious bacterial community of the microbial mat.The results demonstrated that six bacterial divisions constituted the clone libraries derived from the BBD mat,and that Cyanobacteria are the most diversely represented group that inhabit BBD bacterial mats,despite the fact that species in five others divisions(α-Proteobacteria,γ-Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,Verrucomicrobia and Actinobacteria) are also consistently diverse within the BBD mats of diseased coral.Other factors such as coral bleaching,typhoons,ocean acidification and crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks,are not primarily responsible for the coral mortality within such a short time interval.The disaster expansion of BBD associated with Cyanobacterial blooms is a more likely mechanism impacting these coral reefs.Excessive human activity enhances the eutrophication of the marine water of the reefal region and may result in occurrence of the BBD.     

西沙群岛潮、余流特征研究

对1962、1974、1976、1991、2002年西沙群岛海域实测海流资料分析得出:西沙群岛潮汐特征系数为3.40,是不正规日潮;潮流特征比较复杂,少数为不规则半日潮流型,多数为不规则日潮流型;半日周期的内潮在永兴岛西部特别显著,最大流速可达1.5m/s,对珊瑚生态系统有重要影响;西沙群岛余流,春季4～5月总体方向是东北,最大余流速度66cm/s,出现在中建岛西部;夏初余流方向偏北,速度明显降低,中建岛表、底层流速都不超过50cm/s。结合18a卫星高度计资料统计分析得出,春季和夏季西沙群岛海域处于反气旋式环流的北部,中建岛处于反气旋式环流的西缘,水平压强梯度大,加之地形影响,因此流速最大。     

Abergasilus amplexus Hewitt, 1978 (Ergasilidae: Copepoda) from New Zealand,with a description of the male

The male of Abergasilus amplexus Hewitt, 1978 is described for the first time. Previous records of A. amplexus are discussed and a new locality, Te Whanga Lagoon, Chatham Islands, is reported.     

Relationship between Cd and PO4 in the Subtropical Sea near the Ryukyu Islands

The relationship between dissolved cadmium (Cd) and phosphate (PO₄) was examined at three stations in the subtropical area near the Ryukyu Islands in May 1999. Preformed PO₄ was obtained using the Redfield ratio in order to separate the surface water and the other layers in this study area. Almost 0 μM (−0.043 μM to 0.094 μM) was estimated in the layers above 300 m and 250 m at Sts. 1 and 3 and at St. 2, respectively. Up to these depths, water was considered to be uniform, and these layers were defined as the surface water in this study area. In the surface water, the slopes of the regression lines of the Cd-PO₄ plot were 0.162, 0.156, and 0.226 (nM/μM) at Sts. 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and these values were much closer to the estimated regenerated ratio of Cd to PO₄ from the Apparent Oxygen Utilization (AOU)-Cd/PO₄ plots, which was 0.197 (nM/μM) in this study area. Below surface layers, the slopes of the Cd-PO₄ plot changed to 0.371, 0.352, and 0.362 (nM//μM) at Sts. 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In the relationships between Cd and PO₄, clear deviations or kinks were observed at three stations at a PO₄ concentration of approximately 0.2 μM in the plot, which was attributable to the discontinuity of surface water and the other layers across the North Pacific subtropical mode water. In studies of the interaction between surface water and biogenic particles concerning the Cd/PO₄ ratio, separate analyses of seawater (surface water and the other layers) should be carried out to obtain the individual surface water ratio because the Cd/PO₄ ratio in the surface water is expected to differ from that of the underlying water. Furthermore, the biological fractionation of these constituents is based on the surface water ratio. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Are assemblages of the fireworm Hermodice carunculata enhanced in sediments beneath offshore fish cages?

Abundances of the fireworm Hermodice carunculata were counted through a monitoring assessment study of fish cages in Barranco Hondo（NE Tenerife）. Seven campaigns were conducted from November 2007 to June 2010 and temporal variations were found, as well as differences among sampling stations. The polychaete H. carunculata obtained its highest abundance in sediments beneath fish cages throughout the study period. Thus, the assemblages of this omnivorous species were favoured by the presence of fish cages.     

浙江6个列岛大型底栖藻类分类多样性

本文基于对七星列岛大型底栖藻类的实地调查,结合浙南3个列岛(七星列岛、南麂列岛和洞头列岛)和浙北3个列岛(渔山列岛、中街山列岛和马鞍列岛)大型底栖藻类物种组成的有关文献,构建大型底栖藻类基础数据库。采用平均分类差异指数△~+、分类差异变异指数∧~+、G-F多样性测度指数和相似性系数开展分类多样性研究。结果显示:6个列岛藻类在目级和科级的相似性很高,其值均在0.800以上;洞头列岛的△~+值最高(77.42),中街山列岛最低(72.65),这表明洞头列岛大型底栖藻类类群间的亲缘关系较远,中街山列岛藻类类群间的亲缘关系较近;七星列岛的∧~+值最高,达942.00,南麂列岛最低,仅865.12,这表明南麂列岛大型底栖藻类在不同分类阶元分布最均匀,七星列岛的藻类分布较集中;南麂列岛无论是F指数、G指数还是G-F指数的值均比其他5个列岛高,依次为18.62,4.40和0.76,这说明南麂列岛藻类的生态位分化程度较高。本研究构建了6个列岛大型底栖藻类资源与分类多样性基础数据库,为有效保护和管理大型底栖藻类提供了理论依据。     

Reproductive pattern and egg development of the deep-sea crab Paromola cuvieri (Brachyura,Homolidae) around the Canary Islands (NE Atlantic)

This work investigated the biology of Paromola cuvieri in the Atlantic Ocean, including reproductive patterns, sex structure, depth distribution and egg development. Females were more abundant than males, mainly at depths greater than 600 m. Males were dominant in size classes larger than 110 mm carapace width (CW), especially over 120 mm, for which only males were observed. The mean length of both sexes decreased with depth. P. cuvieri appears to have continuous reproduction throughout the year. Large females tend to spawn mainly between summer and winter, but smaller females spawn during the summer. Four maturity categories were identified based on the ovary colour, and these categories were histologically validated. Three categories of testes were identified according to their colour and morphology. Sexual maturity was estimated at sizes between 71.6 and 74.0 mm CW for females and at 91.0 mm CW for males. The relative growth showed changes along the ontogeny, at 73.6 mm CW (females) and 91.3–92.2 mm CW (males). Egg development appears to not be completely synchronous, and two colour patterns can be observed simultaneously. Four stages of egg development were found: eggs undivided and fully filled with yolk in orange egg masses; eggs with a free region of yolk visible in orange or red egg masses; embryos with slightly pigmented, crescent-shaped eyes in brown egg masses; and embryos with visible pigmented structures, enlarged eyes, segmented appendages and abdomen in brown egg masses. The mean number of external eggs carried by females in stage I was estimated to be 315,753±19,267. Three species of barnacle were observed on the exoskeleton: Poecilasma aurantia, Poecilasma crassa and Heteralepas microstoma (Cirripedia, Thoracica).     

Characterization of hard‐to‐differentiate dune stratification types in the Permian Coconino Sandstone (Arizona,USA)

Dune stratification types, which include grainfall, grainflow and ripple lamination, provide a record of the fine‐scale processes that deposited sediment on palaeo‐dune foresets. While these facies are relatively easy to distinguish in some cross‐bedded sandstones, for others – like the Permian Coconino Sandstone of northern and central Arizona – discrete stratification styles are hard to recognize at the bedding scale. Furthermore, few attempts have been made to classify fine‐scale processes in this sandstone, despite its renown as a classic aeolian dune deposit and Grand Canyon formation. To interpret depositional processes in the Coconino Sandstone, cross‐bed facies were characterized using a suite of sedimentary textures and structures. Bedding parameters were described at multiple scales via a combination of field and laboratory methods, including annotated outcrop photomosaics, strike and dip measurements, sandstone disaggregation and laser‐diffraction particle analysis, high‐resolution scans of thin sections, and scanning electron microscopy. Cross‐beds were observed to be laterally extensive along‐strike, with most dip angles ranging from the mid‐teens to mid‐twenties. While some cross‐bed sets are statistically coarser near their bases, others exhibit no significant vertical sorting trends. Both massive and laminated textures are visible in high‐resolution scans of thin sections, but laminae contacts are commonly indistinct, making normal and reverse grading difficult to define. Diagenetic features, such as stylolite seams and large pores, are also present in some samples and might indicate alteration of original textures like detrital clay laminae and carbonate minerals. Observed textures and sedimentary structures suggest that the cross‐beds may consist of grainflow and grainfall deposits, but these remain difficult to differentiate at outcrop and thin‐section scales. This characterization of fine‐scale processes will play a critical part in the development of depositional models for the Coconino Sandstone and elucidate interpretations for similar cross‐bedded formations.     

Crustal contamination and fluid/rock interaction in the carbonatites of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain): a C, O, H isotope study

Fuerteventura—the second largest of the Canary Islands consists of Mesozoic sediments, submarine volcanic rocks, dike swarms and plutons of the Basal Complex, and younger subaerial basaltic and trachytic series. Carbonatites are found in two Basal Complex exposures: the Betancuria Massif in the central part of the island and the Esquinzo area in the north. values of the carbonatites increase progressively from south to north of the island. This phenomenon is attributed to different degrees of assimilation of sedimentary carbonate. Homogeneous, typically magmatic values for carbonatites which have preserved primary igneous textures and minerals suggest a well-mixed reservoir where changes in values result from the storage of carbonate magmas at different structural levels. The magma storage allowed assimilation of sediment to varying degrees before final emplacement of carbonatites. Shifts in towards more positive and negative values from presumed primary compositions are observed in the carbonatites. On the basis of the oxygen isotope compositions of calcite, mica and K-feldspar, and the hydrogen isotope compositions of micas, the changes in the values of the carbonatites can be related to fluid/rock interactions.     

Strontium and neodymium isotopic compositions of detrital sediment of NS90-103 from South China Sea: Variations and their paleoclimate implication

Strontium, neodymium isotopic compositions and trace elements of the detrital sediments of Core NS90-103 from South China Sea were analyzed. The results show that the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the detritus during the last glacial range from 0.722 4 to 0.723 0. They are significantly higher than those during the Holocene and the maximum of the last interglacial, which range from 0.721 0 to 0.721 7. This indicates stronger continental weathering during the last glacial. On the other hand, the¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios of these detritus are higher during the last glacial too, similar to the variation of the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. The trace element geochemistry of these detritus indicates that more authigenic sediments, such as ferromanganese, during the last glacial may partly contribute to the increase of¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios. Furthermore, much more detritus from continent of South China to the north of the South China Sea may probably contribute to¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios increase during the last glacial, which was the result of the enhancement of northeast monsoon.