Bathymetry,substrate and fishing areas of Southeast Atlantic high-seas seamounts

Most of the Southeast Atlantic Ocean is abyssal, and global bathymetries suggest that only ～3.2% of the areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ; also known as the high seas, as defined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS]) are shallower than 2 500 m. This study mapped bathymetry and characterised substrates in selected seamount summit areas, including several that have been or may become fishing areas. The southernmost location, the Schmitt-Ott Seamount, has exposed volcanic bedrock with surrounding flats covered by thin biogenic sediments and/or coral rubble that appears ancient. At Wüst, Vema, Valdivia and Ewing seamounts the basaltic base appears to be overlain by coral caps and other coral substrates (sheets, rubble). Adjacent summit plains have biogenic sediments of varying thickness. Vema has a flat, roughly circular summit, <100 m deep, with the shallowest point being a 22-m-deep summit knoll; the upper slopes have ancient coral framework, but the summit has a mixture of coralline and volcanic rock and coarse sediments, including extensive areas with coralline algae and kelp forests. Valdivia Bank is a 230-m-deep, flat, rocky area (～11 × 5 km), protruding steeply from the extensive multi-summit Valdivia subarea of the Walvis Ridge. The distribution of past fisheries in the Convention Area of the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO) was considered in relation to the new information on bathymetry and substrate.     

What makes a “successful” marine protected area? The unique context of Hawaii′s fish replenishment areas

In 1998, in order to combat the degradation of yellow tang populations on the west coast of Hawaii Island, fish replenishment areas (FRAs) were established prohibiting aquarium fishing along more than thirty percent of the coastline. Unlike other marine management approaches in Hawaii, which have largely been controversial, fraught with confusion over regulations, inadequately enforced, and lacking public support, these FRAs have been lauded as a marine conservation success, with wide-ranging support and evidence of rapid replenishment of the yellow tang population. In order to better understand the contextual factors contributing to the success of the West Hawaii FRAs, this research explores the following questions: (1) What factors documented in the literature on marine protected areas (MPAs) have been demonstrated to contribute to or inhibit MPA success internationally; (2) which of these factors do the FRAs of West Hawaii exhibit; and (3) are there additional factors that may have contributed to their wide acceptance and success? Common factors contributing to MPA success are determined through a synthesis of the literature. These include: level of community engagement, socioeconomic characteristics, ecological factors, MPA design, governance, and enforcement. The outcomes of West Hawaii′s FRAs are examined in the context of these factors. While the common factors agreed upon in the literature were key to the success of the FRAs, additional contextual factors such as the unique nature of the aquarium fishery and its social marginalization also played a vital role.     

Sustaining marine life beyond boundaries: Options for an implementing agreement for marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

For nearly a decade, governments have been discussing the need to improve efforts to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). Support for a new international agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – an Implementing Agreement – on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in ABNJ has been growing. In June 2012, at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, States agreed to take a decision on the development of an international instrument under UNCLOS before the end of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which runs from September 2014 to August 2015. In follow-up to this commitment, it was agreed to consider the “scope, parameters and feasibility” of this instrument. To inform these international discussions, this article highlights some potential options for the content of a new UNCLOS Implementing Agreement. It first reviews the history of UN discussions, and then elaborates on options to address key elements identified as priorities for States in 2011: marine genetic resources, including the sharing of benefits, area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology. It addresses cross-cutting issues such as the governing principles, institutional structure as well as on other critical points such as High Seas fishing and flag State responsibilities. The article concludes with suggestions on possible next steps in order to succeed in the negotiations for an agreement.     

Marine reserve establishment and on-going management costs: A case study from New Zealand

While there is considerable international research focused on the conservation outcomes of marine protected areas (MPAs) and marine reserves (MRs) there is little information on the economic cost to establish and manage these protected areas. This study estimated the MR pre-establishment and establishment costs for the Taputeranga Marine Reserve (TMR) in New Zealand (NZ) and determined the annual management costs for this reserve and four further NZ MRs. Finally, the cost to local rock lobster fishers resulting from the displaced fishing effort once the TMR had been established was estimated. This research found that the TMR pre-establishment cost was approximately NZ$508,000, and the establishment process cost was approximately NZ$353,000. The annual management costs across the five reserves ranged between NZ$43,200 and NZ$112,500 between 2008/09 and 2010/11. The annual fishers displacement cost at TMR was approximately NZ$22,000 per annum. This research showed that on a unit area basis, small MRs in NZ are just as expensive to maintain as large MRs. This study also highlighted how volunteer effort helped to considerably reduce the monetary cost of the MR pre-establishment process. This research increases our understanding of establishment and management costs, and supports future planning of MRs both within NZ and internationally.     

深部地质结构对浅层地质与成矿作用的制约——以中国东部大陆及海区为例

根据十余年来参加中国岩石圈三维结构研究和国际合作编图资料,将深部地质结构与浅层地质、成矿特征进行统一的综合分析研究,对中国东部及邻近海域地质构造取得一些新认识,提出一些新观点:(1)在中国大陆及邻近海域400 km深度内,划分出5层地质结构,其中第3、4层之间的变化制约了浅层地质与成矿作用;(2)中国大陆及海区受周边动力挤压,其中西部挤压力大于东部,导致西部软流圈物质经4条路径向东流动,使东部汇聚巨大巨厚的软流圈,形成独特的软流圈巨量热能(力)-动力主体动力区,构成了亚洲大陆第4个主体动力区;(3)太平洋板块俯冲力制约了北纬42°40'以北的完达山及俄罗斯远东地区,菲律宾海板块俯冲力制约了台湾和中国东南沿海地区,二者的动力之和构成了阻挡软流圈物质向东部洋区流动的"远程力效应";(4)软流圈巨量热能(力)-动力作用的主体动力区打造了中国东部及海区7项地质、地貌特征和三大类矿产资源效应。其中岩浆活动与化石燃料矿产(石油、天然气、煤)之间不是"水火不相容",而是岩浆活动为提升油-气成熟度和煤化作用及变质作用提供了重要的温度条件;(5)软流圈巨量热能(力)-动力作用打造了中国东部及海区一些独有的地质作用:①形成了新生代南海小洋盆,并向巴拉望岛俯冲。②产生了新生代陆缘裂谷带,形成了琼州海峡、台湾海峡,并向台湾岛轻度俯冲。③大面积的巨厚软流圈是一座"巨型岩浆山",成为东部及海区"地幔柱"的统一"根基"。地幔柱实际上是巨大"岩浆山"中的"岩浆山峰",今后会发现更多"地幔柱"(即"岩浆山峰")。④中国东部地震除吉林省珲春地区的深源地震(540 km)外,朝鲜半岛及其以西的中国东部和海区均为浅源与中深源地震(震源深度小于100 km),其主体动力都来自本区巨量热能(力)-动力源,太平洋板块-菲律宾海板块的联合俯冲力只起了"远程力效应"的深部侧向挤压辅助作用。⑤巨量热能(力)-动力作用形成了一系列盆-山耦合带,组成了中国东部及海区中-新生代"盆-山耦合群","盆"里有油气资源,"山"里有内生矿产。     

覆盖中国沿海地区的精细化台风风暴潮模型的研究及适用

精细化风暴潮预报是目前风暴潮预报重点发展方向之一,本文首次建立起了一个覆盖整个中国沿海地区的精细化台风风暴潮数值模型,克服了以往分区域数值模型的不足,该模型在中国沿海地区的分辨率达到300m左右。模型采用了并行计算,并对2012年和2013年灾害性台风风暴潮过程进行了数值检验,计算精度和计算所用时间都能够满足业务化运行的要求。本文同时还根据中国气象局、美国国家气象局等5家主要台风预报机构给出的24h台风预报,对2013年度灾害性台风风暴潮过程进行了24h数值预报检验,检验结果表明:根据中国气象局台风登陆前24h预报可以得到更准确的风暴潮预报结果,其预报结果优于其他各家预报结果。该结论可以为今后的台风风暴潮预报中台风路径的选取提供重要的参考。     

海洋生态重要性区域的内涵与识别方法研究——以黄河口为例

海洋生态环境目前正在承受来自人类活动和气候变化的巨大压力;急需必要的管理工具或决策支持系统来应对这些压力所带来的生态环境问题。对海洋生境的分类识别是开展生物多样性保护的基础和前提;海洋生态重要区识别作为一种客观、科学和灵活的生境分类评估和选划方法;已被科学界和管理者广泛接受和认可。本文首先介绍了海洋生态重要区的概念内涵以及识别方法的研究进展;给出了海洋生态重要区的定义;之后以黄河口为例;初步建立了针对该区域的生态重要区识别标准和评价方法;对黄河口及邻近海区进行了生态重要性等级划分。本文是对生态重要区识别方法在我国近海的首次应用尝试;研究结果可为我国基于生态系统的海洋管理提供科学方法和工具;也可为其他区域的研究提供借鉴。     

倾斜摄影技术在丘陵山区大比例尺测图中的应用

针对丘陵山区大比例尺测图应用的需求,本文探讨了如何通过倾斜摄影的技术方法获取高精度的影像模型.首先通过分析航线布设方法、控制点布设采集要点、空三数据处理关键点等,获取满足丘陵山区大比例尺测图应用的数据模型,基于数据模型获取大比例尺地形图数据;然后通过与实地测量数据进行精度对比分析获取试验结果,结果表明倾斜摄影技术不但能...     

太行山地形影响下的极端短时强降水分析

2015年8月2日午夜和2011年8月9日前半夜,在两种不同天气系统背景下太行山东麓都出现了小时雨量超过50 mm的极端短时强降水天气,两次过程都是雷暴先在太行山区触发加强,经过下山2 h先后在丘陵站平山和山前平原站石家庄市区产生极端短时强降水。利用常规探测资料、地面加密观测资料、石家庄SA多普勒天气雷达资料,对不同天气系统背景下太行山特殊地形影响的极端短时强降水成因进行分析。结果表明:偏东气流被南北向的太行山地形强迫抬升,且与下山雷暴出流形成中尺度辐合线触发新的雷暴,雷达回波呈现后向传播特征和列车效应造成局地极端短时强降水。太行山地形通过增强辐合上升运动、增大垂直风切变使雷暴下山加强。不同天气系统强迫下,太行山特殊地形对雷暴发展作用不同。在偏西气流引导下,暖区极端短时强降水由阵风锋触发,具有突发性、降水时间短、伴随风力大的特点,下山雷暴出流加快且与山前偏东风的辐合加强,陆续在丘陵区和山前平原触发对流与下山雷暴合并加强造成极端短时强降水;而在东北气流引导下,回流冷锋和阵风锋共同触发的极端短时强降水具有持续时间较长、降雨总量较大、伴随风力较小的特点,太行山东坡对东北冷湿回流有阻挡积聚作用,东北偏北来的雷暴出流边界西端在迎风坡上强迫抬升使雷暴触发并加强,东北气流遇山后发生气旋性偏转使雷暴出流转向东南下山,与平原的偏东风辐合加强,造成丘陵区和山前平原的总降雨时间更长、降雨总量更大。     

Australia’s no-take marine protected areas: Appropriate conservation or inappropriate management of fishing?

The absence of properly identified mechanisms to adequately protect the marine environment remains a major shortcoming in Australia’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. The current commitment to a National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA) falls far short of providing adequate protection against the suite of existing and potential threats even though areas are designated as being ‘protected’. In this paper it is argued that the actions taken under the NRSMPA are disproportionately concentrated on regulating fishing, including the closing of areas in so-called sanctuary zones to all types of fishing. In the absence of clearly identified threats from most forms of fishing and without assessment of how best to manage those few fishing threats that have been identified, such actions are inefficient and mostly inappropriate. Moreover, they do not provide adequate protection against the full suite of threats to marine environments. Adequate measures for the proper conservation of these areas and/or the protection of marine biodiversity more generally are not being provided and in most cases threats are not even adequately described and evaluated.