Variability of temperature,salinity and tidally‐averaged density in the middle estuary of the St Lawrence

Abstract

Surveys in the Middle Estuary of the St Lawrence have yielded a data base consisting of more than 15,000 T‐S pairs distributed over 62 13‐h profiling stations. Although the T‐S curves at each station are remarkably linear, the variability of the slopes and intercepts of the lines is considerable. The means and standard deviations of the temperature and salinity at each individual station are not explicable in terms of linear combinations of the parameters for location in the Estuary, the upstream water properties, the phase of the spring‐neap cycle and the tidal energies.

It is shown that the tidally‐averaged density structure is separable into horizontal and vertical components and that its vertical variation over the whole Estuary may be explained by any one of three different functional forms. However, its horizontal variation is not explicable in terms of linear combinations of the parameters mentioned in the paragraph above.

Plots of the horizontal variations in temperature, salinity or density may only be meaningful if the data are collected synoptically, and even then cannot be considered to be accurate over time‐scales longer than one tidal cycle.     

Transition of Quaternary glacial cyclicity in deep-sea records at Nansha, the South China Sea

High-resolution oxygen isotope records over the last 2249 ka (MIS 1–86) have been obtained from cores of the upper section (105.08 m) at ODP Site 1143 (water depth of 2772 m) drilled in the Nansha area, southern South China Sea. The sampling resolution is at about 2 ka intervals, resulting in one of the best oxygen isotope records over the global ocean. The oxygen isotope curves, displaying details in the Pleistocene glacial cycles, have revealed a nearly 300 ka long stage of transition from a predominant 40 ka to 100 ka periodicity. Therefore, the “Mid-Pleistocene Revolution” should be considered as a process of transition rather than an abrupt change. Within the 100 ka glacial cycles, the changes in tropical sea surface water were found to lead those in high-latitude ice sheet. Our comparisons show that the ice sheet expansion and the glacial stage extension in the Northern Hemisphere with the 100 ka cycles must have been driven not by ice sheet itself, but by processes outside the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.     

菲尔德斯半岛东南附近海域的两种仔鱼

198 7年 1 1月至 1 988年 4月在菲尔德斯半岛东南附近海域采集到的仔鱼体长为 1 3 .1 -1 5 mm,它们都处于早期发育阶段。经鉴定隶属一科 (南极鳕鱼科 Nototheniidae) ,一属 (Notothe-nia)两种 :(N.larseni Lonnb,N.gibberifrons Lonnb)。 N.larseni占 88 ,N.gibberifrons占1 2 %。本文对仔鱼形态作了详细的描述。     

老挝岩浆岩成因

老挝的岩浆活动分为三个阶段:早期古元古代—早石炭世,中期晚石炭世—中三叠世,晚期晚三叠世—第四纪。早期以中酸性及中基性侵入岩、火山岩为主,中期从超基性—酸性均有出露,晚期则为中酸性侵入岩,火山岩及玄武岩。反映不同构造位置及成因。     

内蒙古绥和查干地区多金属矿床流体包裹体研究

内蒙古绥和查干铜铅锌多金属矿床是典型的热液矿床,处于大兴安岭成矿带南段、内蒙古二连-东乌旗铁铜钼多金属成矿远景区。该文对矿床中流体包裹体进行研究,结果发现,矿床划分为2个成矿期次:早阶段属中高温(320~380℃);晚阶段属中低温(140~160℃)。包裹体的捕获温度也存在2个高峰期,矿床属于中—高温热液矿床。盐度也存在2个高峰范围,第一个高峰范围在0~4%之间;第二个高峰范围在5%~9.6%之间。流体压力范围介于22.6~101.4 MPa,均值为59.9 MPa,成矿的平均深度为当时地表以下1.95 km,属中深成矿床,成矿流体具有中—高温至中—低盐度性质。2个成矿期次和矿区的2次构造运动相对应,矿体定位受断裂构造控制,属于典型的断控脉状矿床。     

Paradigms for planktonic assemblages: 50 years of contributions from the Leigh Marine Laboratory,Northland, New Zealand

Abstract

Plankton includes the primary producers and consumers that are critical for healthy ecosystem function in the marine realm. My objective was to identify the major contributions of the Leigh Marine Laboratory to our broader understanding of planktonic assemblages. Significant contributions were made prior to 1990 on the ecology of larval fishes. From the 1990s the focus changed to the sensory biology of larval invertebrates and fishes, with a strong emphasis given to the role of reef sound in attracting potential settlers. Both early and post 1980s research has been highly influential in a paradigm shift away from passively drifting larvae that have little control over their fate. Important contributions have also been made on the dynamics of nutrient–phytoplankton interactions, larval development and aquaculture. Opportunities abound for future research on the dynamics of planktonic assemblages in shelf waters and in changing seas.     

Burrowing and burying by the crab Macrophthalmus hirtipes

Macrophthalmus hirtipes (Jacquinot, 1853) excavates burrows under water in soft, muddy sand that remains waterlogged at low tide. The crabs are immersed for at least 4 h in every tide. The burrows are usually single, blind‐ending, slightly curved passages; their openings do not appear to be deliberately closed by the crabs. Excavation is effected by using one set of walking legs as a scoop while the other set provides sideways traction.

Burrow openings are readily obscured by water movement, so that apparent burrow density does not give a true indication of the number of crabs in an area, but only indicates how many have been active recently; the true density may be found by sieving.

The burrowing activity of M. hirtipes is compared with that of other ocypodid crabs, and the functions of burrows are discussed. A distinction is made between excavating a burrow and rapid burying, because the two behaviours are very different, and must involve different adaptations and selection pressures.     

The potential of ocean acidification on suppressing larval development in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and blood cockle Arca inflata Reeve

We evaluated the effect of pH on larval development in larval Pacific oyster （Crassostrea gigas） and blood cockle （Arca inflata Reeve）. The larvae were reared at pH 8.2 （control）, 7.9, 7.6, or 7.3 beginning 30 min or 24 h post fertilization. Exposure to lower pH during early embryonic development inhibited larval shell formation in both species. Compared with the control, larvae took longer to reach the D-veliger stage when reared under pH 7.6 and 7.3. Exposure to lower pH immediately after fertilization resulted in significantly delayed shell formation in the Pacific oyster larvae at pH 7.3 and blood cockle larvae at pH 7.6 and 7.3. However, when exposure was delayed until 24 h post fertilization, shell formation was only inhibited in blood cockle larvae reared at pH 7.3. Thus, the early embryonic stages were more sensitive to acidified conditions. Our results suggest that ocean acidification will have an adverse effect on embryonic development in bivalves. Although the effects appear subtle, they may accumulate and lead to subsequent issues during later larval development.     

Interannual variability in the biochemical composition of newly hatched larvae of the spider crab Maja brachydactyla (Decapoda,Majidae)

The spider crab Maja brachydactyla is an important commercial species in Europe and supports intensive fisheries in the NE Atlantic. A field survey was performed to assess long‐term and consecutive interannual (2005–2010) variation of the biochemical composition of newly hatched larvae of M. brachydactyla. Larval biochemical profiles differed significantly among years, with pronounced differences being recorded in 2010. Differences among batches of newly hatched larvae were mainly explained by the contribution of triacylglycerols and, to a lesser degree, by protein and lipid content. The use of different nutrition indices is discussed. The biochemical composition of newly hatched larvae from M. brachydactyla was highly variable, even though surveyed broodstock was obtained from the same local population and was always sampled during the same season. The unpredictable biochemical profiles of newly hatched larvae may condition their survival and recruitment. This largely overlooked aspect of larval variability should be considered in future fisheries management strategies and captive production of marine organisms that still rely on wild seeds.