Beneath the surface: Characteristics of oceanic ecosystems under weak mixing conditions – A theoretical investigation

This study considers an important biome in aquatic environments, the subsurface ecosystem that evolves under low mixing conditions, from a theoretical point of view. Employing a conceptual model that involves phytoplankton, a limiting nutrient and sinking detritus, we use a set of key characteristics (thickness, depth, biomass amplitude/productivity) to qualitatively and quantitatively describe subsurface biomass maximum layers (SBMLs) of phytoplankton. These SBMLs are defined by the existence of two community compensation depths in the water column, which confine the layer of net community production; their depth coincides with the upper nutricline. Analysing the results of a large ensemble of simulations with a one-dimensional numerical model, we explore the parameter dependencies to obtain fundamental steady-state relationships that connect primary production, mortality and grazing, remineralization, vertical diffusion and detrital sinking. As a main result, we find that we can distinguish between factors that determine the vertically integrated primary production and others that affect only depth and shape (thickness and biomass amplitude) of this subsurface production layer. A simple relationship is derived analytically, which can be used to estimate the steady-state primary productivity in the subsurface oligotrophic ocean. The fundamental nature of the results provides further insight into the dynamics of these “hidden” ecosystems and their role in marine nutrient cycling.     

Metridia pacifica in Dabob Bay, Washington: The diatom effect and the discrepancy between high abundance and low egg production rates

Information on life cycle strategies and reproductive parameters of Metridia pacifica is scarce, despite its importance in the zooplankton of the subarctic Pacific. In many regions it occurs in high abundance, but reproductive rates, when reported, are usually low. This discrepancy was studied in Dabob Bay, Washington, USA, in the context of an investigation of the effect of diatom blooms on the reproductive success of copepod grazers.In situ egg production rates of M. pacifica were measured in spring and mid-summer with standard methods (multi-wells) and a new incubation chamber (spawning towers) that separates the spawning female from its eggs and allows the eggs to develop undisturbed. Many females did not produce eggs, possibly due to a high fraction of immature individuals. Egg production rates were variable, but clutch sizes were higher in spawning towers, and estimates of female egg cannibalism revealed that females consume many eggs shortly after their release. Thus, a separation of females and eggs is mandatory for accurate measurements of M. pacifica egg production rates. The maximum clutch sizes recorded in our study were comparable to measurements for other calanoids. However, unviable eggs were a large fraction of those spawned, independent of incubation method, especially in late winter and early spring. In order to assess whether the diatom effect may be responsible for low viability of embryos and nauplii, we also measured in situ grazing. Adult females were omnivorous, but they ingested some diatoms that rank among the strongest anti-mitotic toxin producers known so far. Although M. pacifica’s vertical migration behavior suggests opportunistic feeding on abundant food during their short stay in the phytoplankton-rich surface, they often ignored the food items that contributed most to microplankton carbon concentrations. Thus, their feeding strategy remains ambiguous. Due to severe reproductive failure early in the season, recruitment was impaired in spring, while the population increased, reaching high abundance in mid-summer when reproductive output was low. While advection and interannual variability in bloom conditions might compensate for the losses described here, the paradox of high Metridia abundance versus low reproductive success still requires further investigation, and methodological constraints need to be ruled out in future studies.     

耿贝尔逻辑模型在极值风速和有效波高联合概率分布中的应用

首先介绍了耿贝尔逻辑模型，采用该模型对南海海域的涠州岛海洋站的风速和有效波高实测数据进行了分析，结果表明耿贝尔逻辑模型较好地描述了年极值风速和有效波高两随机变量的联合分布；采用得到的极值风浪联合概率分布推算了不同重现期的极值风速和波高，表明考虑风速和波高相关性对设计荷载的确定有显著影响。由于耿贝尔逻辑模型具有函数结构简单，参数估计方便，因此有望成为极值风速和波高联合分布的较理想概率模型。     

杭州湾乍浦断面潮流分布特征

根据2000年9月在杭州湾乍浦断面设置的8个潮流同步观测站的资料,对该断面潮流分布特征进行了分析和探讨,结果表明:该断面大潮涨急时呈现两个大流速核;断面南部的流速要比北部的大,涨潮流速大于落潮流速。这对了解杭州湾水文特征有着一定意义,同时为杭州湾跨海大桥的设计建设提供参考。     

Temporal change of clustered distribution of planktonic ciliates in Toyama Bay in summers of 1989 and 1990

Temporal change of clustered distribution in vertical profiles of three nutritional groups of planktonic ciliates, e.g. heterotrophic naked ciliates, mixotrophic naked ciliates and heterotrophic loricated ciliates, was investigated by following a drifting buoy in Toyama Bay on the Japan Sea coast of central Japan in summers of 1989 and 1990. Clustered distribution, represented as the mode of population density in the vertical plane, occurred mainly in the oligotrophic upper layer (0–50 m depth) above the subsurface chlorophyll-a maximum layer. Its clustered degree was stronger when the mode of population density in the vertical plane was formed at shallower depth, while its longevity was shorter as mentioned above. Vertical distribution of ciliates during summer in Toyama Bay is characterized by ephemeral clustered distribution, or in other wards, by rapid alternations of appearance and disappearance of the clustered distribution.     

阳江东平核电站邻近海区鱼卵和仔鱼调查研究

广东阳江东平核电站邻近海区生态调查于1998年4月(春季)和10月(秋季)进行。春季采获鱼卵101个、仔鱼45尾，隶属于4目9科11种和4个未定种；秋季采获鱼卵82个、仔鱼104尾，隶属于5目9科13种和3个未定种。对一些主要种类如康氏小公鱼Anchoviella commersoni、裘氏小沙丁鱼Sardinella jussieu、斑鲦Clupainddon punctatus、杜氏棱鳗Thrissa dussumieri、无齿鲦Andontostoma chacunda等的数量分布特征作了描述。就影响鱼卵、仔鱼种类数量分布的因素作了探讨，还对核电站建成后温排水对鱼卵、仔鱼的影响进行了预测。     

中国多金属结核开辟区东、西两小区小型底栖动物的空间分布

利用 1 998年“大洋一号”调查船 DY95 - 8航次在中国多金属结核开辟区东、西两小区用多管取样器采集的沉积物样品 ,对小型底栖动物的组成、分布及其与环境因子的关系进行了研究。结果表明 :(1 )东、西两小区共有 1 6个类群的小型底栖动物 ,其中线虫类占居显著优势 ,在东、西两小区各占总栖息密度的 71 %和 6 4 %,其次为猛水蚤类和蜱螨类。 (2 )东、西两小区小型底栖动物类群平均栖息密度分别为 3 2 .47ind/1 0 cm2 和 1 8.0 5 ind/1 0 cm2 ,东小区高于西小区。小区各站位间的栖息密度平面分布差异显著。 (3 )东、西两小区小型底栖动物类群栖息密度的垂直分布趋势明显 ,由表层向底层 ,栖息密度逐渐降低。 (4)东、西两小区小型底栖动物空间分布与底质沉积物、结核覆盖率和底层流等环境因子密切相关 ,底质较硬、结核覆盖率较高以及底层流较强都不利于小型底栖动物的栖息。     

相空间反演方法在表层水温预报中的应用

利用相空间理论及方法对渤、黄、东海共4个站位近十几年的旬平均SST进行分析。结果表明：表层水温具有混饨特性，其吸引子关联维数平均约为1．23、嵌入相空间维数为6（渤、黄海）和7（东海178号站位）、二阶Renyi熵平均约为3．7×10-4（1／d）及平均可预报时间尺度平均为27个点；基于以上分析结果运用相空间反演方法建立了旬平均SST的反演模型，并且在试预报的前5旬的最大相对误差约为4．2％。