Migrations of humpback whales past Cape Vidal,South Africa,and an estimate of the population increase rate (1988–2002)

Shore-based surveys of migrating humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae were undertaken from Cape Vidal, northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, each year between 1988 and 1991, and in 2002. Daily observations of migrating whale groups were carried out from an approx. 60 m-high platform during all surveys. Whale groups were tracked by position-fixing on surfacing bouts using survey theodolites, to determine swimming speeds and headings and distance offshore, while group size estimation was carried out at each theodolite measurement. Numbers of whales observed or projected (at tracked speeds) to cross the midline of the survey area within the observation period each day were tallied in each of three distance bins. These counts were adjusted to account for daily sighting effort and for proportions that were likely to have been missed on account of their distance offshore or poor sighting conditions to produce daily sighting rates. Such daily tallies were summed over the survey period to estimate the number of whales passing Cape Vidal each year, with counts from days of <2.5 h of observation effort (due to weather or sighting condition restraints) replaced by the mean of the previous and following days. The numbers passing to the north of Cape Vidal during coincident periods of 17 days over the 1988–2002 surveys (6–22 July) and 25 days over the 1990, 1991 and 2002 surveys (6–30 July) provide statistically significant increase rates of 11.5% (SE 2.8) and 9.0% (SE 2.7) per annum respectively.     

Effect of reproductive state and sex on movement and food consumption of western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus) in a tank environment

The catchability of western rock lobsters (Panulirus cygnus) during the spawning season (October and November) may be affected by their reproductive state. In this study, movement and food consumption of males and females of different reproductive states held in laboratory tanks were measured as proxies for catchability. Density of lobsters was found to influence both movement and food consumption. Solitary animals and, to a lesser extent, two lobsters per tank, were more sedentary and consumed significantly less food than animals at a density of three or four specimens per tank. Tests using three animals per tank confirmed that mature, unmated, and ovigerous females carrying early stage eggs moved more frequently away from their shelters than males or females carrying late stage eggs (P < 0.0001, d.f. = 3). Further, unmated females and females with early stage eggs recorded significantly higher food consumption (P < 0.0061, d.f. = 3) compared with males or females carrying late stage eggs. The greater time spent away from shelter and also food consumption make unmated females and females with early stage eggs likely to be more catchable than males or females with late stage eggs. As catchability is commonly used to obtain population estimates from survey data, these results have implications for surveys which use catch rates of breeding animals as indicators of egg production.     

Automated multi-scale classification of the terrain units of the Jiaxie Guyots and their mineral resource characteristics

Given the advances in satellite altimetry and multibeam bathymetry, benthic terrain classification based on digital bathymetric models (DBMs) has been widely used for the mapping of benthic topographies. For instance, cobalt-rich crusts (CRCs) are important mineral resources found on seamounts and guyots in the western Pacific Ocean. Thick, plate-like CRCs are known to form on the summit and slopes of seamounts at the 1 000–3 000 m depth, while the relationship between seamount topography and spatial distribution of CRCs remains unclear. The benthic terrain classification of seamounts can solve this problem, thereby, facilitating the rapid exploration of seamount CRCs. Our study used an EM122 multibeam echosounder to retrieve high-resolution bathymetry data in the CRCs contract license area of China, i.e., the Jiaxie Guyots in 2015 and 2016. Based on the DBM construted by bathymetirc data, broad- and fine-scale bathymetric position indices were utilized for quantitative classification of the terrain units of the Jiaxie Guyots on multiple scales. The classification revealed four first-order terrain units (e.g., flat, crest, slope, and depression) and eleven second-order terrain units (e.g., local crests, depressions on crests, gentle slopes, crests on slopes, and local depressions, etc.). Furthermore, the classification of the terrain and geological analysis indicated that the Weijia Guyot has a large flat summit, with local crests at the southern summit, whereas most of the guyot flanks were covered by gentle slopes. “Radial” mountain ridges have developed on the eastern side, while large-scale gravitational landslides have developed on the western and southern flanks. Additionally, landslide masses can be observed at the bottom of these slopes. The coverage of local crests on the seamount is ~1 000 km2, and the local crests on the peak and flanks of the guyots may be the areas where thick and continuous plate-like CRCs are likely to occur.     

夏季辽东湾西部海域大型底栖动物群落结构与多样性

为了解夏季辽东湾西部海域大型底栖动物群落结构与多样性,作者于2009年8月对六股河口外海域15个站位进行了大型底栖动物调查。整个研究海域共采到大型底栖动物124种,其总平均丰度为(2824±1537)个/m2,总平均生物量为(22.01±38.58)g/m2。利用相对重要性指数和优势度指数所确定的前三位优势种一致,分别为二齿半尖额涟虫(Hemileucon bidentatus)、深钩毛虫(Sigambra bassi)和独指虫(Aricidea fragilis),其余优势种存在细微差异。各站位香农-维纳多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数和Margalef丰富度指数均呈现河口和中部海域低,近岸和外围海域高的分布规律。在50%相似度水平上,可将研究海域划分为4个群落。研究结果表明:研究海域底栖环境整体清洁,底层水环境因子对大型底栖动物群落的影响较弱。     

Isotopic tracers for water masses in the coastal region of eastern Hokkaido

In this study we used two stable isotopes, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O, for water mass classification in the coastal region off eastern Hokkaido. δ¹³C* values, which were corrected for the biological effect, and δ ¹⁸O values up to 300 m depth suggested that the isotopic character of the onshore and offshore water in the southern Okhotsk Sea, the Nemuro Strait and the western North Pacific could be explained by the mixing of three source waters: the Oyashio water (OYW), Soya Warm Current water (SWCW) and East Sakhalin Current water (ESCW). In summer, δ ¹³C*-δ ¹⁸O plots indicated mixing between SWCW from the southern Okhotsk Sea and OYW in the Pacific coast of southeastern Hokkaido, while temperature-salinity plots of the onshore water showed minimal difference from the offshore OYW. In winter, on the other hand, the mixed water of ESCW and OYW (or SWCW) appeared in the Pacific coastal region, distributed as cold, low salinity onshore water. Finally, we estimated mixing ratios of OYW, SWCW and ESCW in the coastal region of western North Pacific using their mean values of δ ¹³C* and δ ¹⁸O as endmembers. These results suggest seasonal and yearly changes of water mass combination en route from the southern Okhotsk Sea to the western North Pacific.     

周期性的或伴有贯穿流的西边界流跨隙流动的迟滞变异过程

使用1.5层准地转约化重力模式研究了周期性的或伴有贯穿流的西边界流跨隙流动的迟滞变异过程。当西边界流变化的周期比罗斯贝波在缺口处调整的时间尺度大得多时,在雷诺数增加和减少过程的霍夫分叉点都发生延迟,从而产生新的雷诺数迟滞区间;并且西边界流流态转变的临界值变化显著;且周期强迫越短,雷诺数迟滞区间越大。当西边界流变化的周期与罗斯贝波在缺口处调整的时间尺度相当时,西边界流在缺口的流态呈无迟滞的周期性变化,且西边界流入侵西海盆的程度随周期减少而变小。此外,当贯穿流的流量大于西边界流的一半时,会显著影响西边界流在缺口处的迟滞变异过程;西边界流向西入侵程度和流态转变发生的临界雷诺值均发生变化,且贯穿流流量越大变化越大。     

再探温跃层有孔虫B/Ca与温度和[CO32-]的依赖性及其在24 ka以来热带西太平洋次表层碳酸盐系统重建中的应用

The B/Ca ratio of planktonic foraminifer shells has been used as a proxy for reconstructing past ocean carbonate chemistry. However, recent studies have revealed significant uncertainties associated with this proxy, such as whether seawater temperature or [ CO_3~(2-)] is the dominant control on the partition coefficient(K_D) of planktonic foraminiferal B/Ca. To address these uncertainties and thus improve our understanding of the planktonic foraminiferal B/Ca proxy, we analysed B/Ca ratios in the tests of Neogloboquadrina dutertrei(300–355 μm) and Pulleniatina obliquiloculata(355–400 μm) in surface sediment samples from the tropical western Pacific and South China Sea. The relationship between these B/Ca ratios and bottom water calcite saturation states(Δ[ CO_3~(2-)]) is weak, thus suggesting only a small dissolution effect on the B/Ca of the two species. The correlation coefficients(R~2) between the B/Ca ratios of N. dutertrei and P. obliquiloculata and environmental parameters(e.g., temperature, salinity, phosphate, DIC and ALK) in the tropical western Pacific and South China Sea are not high enough to justify using B/Ca ratios as a palaeoenvironmental proxy in the study areas. The significant correlation between K_D values of N. dutertrei and P. obliquiloculata and carbonate system parameters(e.g.,[ CO_3~(2-)], DIC, ALK, pH and [ HCO_3~-]) in the study area reflect chemical links between the K_D denominator and these variables. Based on our surface sediment calibration, an empirical relationship between the K_D of N.dutertrei and temperature is proposed in the tropical western Pacific. We also generated a record of B/Ca ratios in N. dutertrei(300–355 μm) from Core MD06-3052 in the tropical western Pacific over the past 24 ka to evaluate the application of the revised B/Ca proxy method. Based on the reconstructed empirical relationship for B/Ca and subsurface seawater ALK, we estimated subsurface seawater carbonate system parameters in the tropical western Pacific since 24 ka. In general, the estimated subsurface seawater pH and [ CO_3~(2-)] show an increase with time, and the record of subsurface seawater pCO_2 shows a decrease with time, in the tropical western Pacific over the past 24 ka. The consistent trends in subsurface seawater pCO_2 and opal flux during deglaciation may imply that the reported increase in subsurface water pCO_2 in the study area was promoted by enhanced upwelling in the Southern Ocean.     

基于CloudSat卫星分析西太平洋台风云系的垂直结构及其微物理特征

基于2012—2014年CloudSat卫星数据,按照热带气旋强度分类的6个等级以及沿台风中心的径向距离,分析西太平洋台风云系的垂直结构及其微物理特征。研究表明:(1)不同强度的台风云系中均是单层云占主导,多层云中双层云出现比例最高;随着台风强度的增强,距离台风中心250km之内,单层云分布位置更加集中且垂直厚度较厚,而450km之外的单层云一直集中在7~15km,厚度较薄;随着台风强度的增强,距离台风中心250km之内的双层云中的底层云和顶层云均增厚且分布位置更加趋于集中,云间距变窄,而450km之外顶层云和底层云较薄,云间距一直较大。(2)台风云系中,深对流云、高层云、卷云与其他云类型相比,分布的垂直范围较广,出现频率较高,分布的位置会随着台风强度变化和沿台风中心径向距离的增加有明显的变化。(3)随着台风强度的增强,近台风中心5km以上的回波有明显增强,除此高值区外,发展较为成熟的台风,距台风中心450km之外也会出现多个明显的柱状回波高值区。(4)近台风中心液水含量的值和冰水含量的值随强度变化均有明显增加,但外围云系中也有分散的冰水含量高值中心但分布高度相对较低,在10km附近;液水粒子数浓度的高值区域与液水含量的高值区非常对应,而冰水含量的高值区位于冰粒子数浓度的高值区下方,表明小的冰粒子被较强的对流活动带到了高处,而大的冰粒子集中在云系较低处。     

Tube-forming polychaetes enhance invertebrate diversity and abundance in sandy sediments of Mozambique,Africa

In marine soft-bottom systems, polychaetes can increase habitat complexity by constructing rigid tubes (e.g. several onuphid species) that contrast with surrounding topographically flat sediments. These structures can provide predation refuges and increase larval settlement and thereby increase the richness and abundance of fauna. We collected invertebrate samples from an intertidal flat with low onuphid tube density (2.7 m^–2) in Mozambique and document that more organisms (70 times higher mollusc abundances) and more species (15 times more mollusc species) were found associated with solitary tubes of an onuphid polychaete compared with surrounding sand habitats. These results are in agreement with tube versus sand comparisons from soft-bottom systems in the North Atlantic where polychaete tube densities are often much higher.     

Dugong abundance and distribution in the Bazaruto Archipelago,Mozambique

Despite the distribution of dugongs Dugong dugon ranging across nearshore waters of the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, their distribution in the western Indian Ocean is highly fragmented and appears to be declining. The population of the Bazaruto Archipelago is believed to comprise the only viable population in the region. In all, 27 surveys were flown over the Bazaruto Bay area to define the distribution and estimate the abundance of the species in the area. A total of 9 052 nautical miles of survey effort was flown during the surveys, from which there were 355 sightings of 760 dugongs. Two core areas of distribution were apparent within the surveyed area; a northern core area spread within the 10 m isobath between the Save River mouth and Ponta Bartolomeu Dias (21°24′S), and a southern core area aligned with the shallow sandbanks to the north and south of Santa Carolina Island. Group sizes recorded in the Bazaruto Archipelago were comparable to group sizes recorded in other regions where dugongs occur, although few large (>20) groups of dugongs were seen in this study. Line transect analyses of each survey showed dugong densities were considerably lower than densities recorded in surveys in Australian waters or in the Arabian Gulf, with a population estimate of 247 dugongs (CV = 34.1) when all surveys were considered, and 359 dugongs (CV = 38.2) when only the surveys that were carried out under adequate sighting conditions were included.