Low-temperature alteration of oceanic island basalts and their contribution to transition metal circulation of the ocean

The major elements, rare earth elements （REE） and trace elements of four basalt samples from central and western Pacific ferro- manganese crust provinces have been analyzed using chemical methods and ICP - MS, respectively. The results indicate that the samples have been extensively altered and that the contents of their major elements have changed significantly. However, the similarity of REE partition patterns and trace element contents of basalt samples to those of fresh oceanic island basalts （OIB） indicate that the basalt samples originated as OIB. Because of low-temperature alteration, the contents of A1203 , Fe203 , MnO, K20 and P205 increased, while MgO and FeO decreased. Active components, such as magnesium and iron, were leached from OIB resulting in the relative enrichment of SiO2. The leaching of active components can cause the relative enrichment of REE, while the precipitation of LREE-rich ferromanganese oxides in vesicles and fissures not only causes an increase of REE contents, but also induces ＂fractionation＂ of LREE and HREE. Based on the enrichment mechanism of REE contents, the theoretical quantities of precipitated ferromanganese oxides and the depleted quantities of active components are calculated ： the depleted quantities of active components for the unit mass of fresh basalts vary in the range of 0.15 ～ 0. 657, and the precipitated quantities of ferromanganese oxides for the unit mass of fresh basahs vary in the range of 0. 006 ～ 0. 042. Of the major elements, the two most depleted are iron, and magnesium, with 18.28% ～ 70.95% of iron and 44.50% ～ 93.94% of magnesium in the fresh basalts was leached out. Theoretical calculation and geochemistry results both indicate that low-temperature alteration of basalts can supply abundant amount of metals to seawater, and may play an important role in ocean metal circulation.     

Water, organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus contents in sediment of a large-scale mariculture area in the Zhelin Bay of eastern Guangdong Province, China

The Zhelin Bay is one of the most important bays for large-scale mariculture in Guangdong Province, China. Owing to the increasing human population and the expanding mariculture in the last two decades, the ecological environment has greatly changed with frequent harmful algal blooms. A monthly survey of water content, organic matter （TOM）, and various forms of nitrogen and phosphorous in sediment from July 2002 to July 2003 in the bay was conducted. The results showed that the water content was correlated significantly with TOM and various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus and can be used as proxy for quick and rough estimate of these factors in the future surveys. TOM was also correlated significantly with various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus, indicating that it was one of the key factors affecting the concentrations and distributions of nitrogen and phosphorus in the investigated waters. Average total Kjeldhal nitrogen （TkN） content was（ 1 113.1 ± 382.5）μg/g and average total phosphorus （TP） content was（567.2± 223.3）μg/g, and both were much higher than those of similar estuaries in China and elsewhere. Average nitrogen and phosphorus tended to be higher inside than outside the bay, higher at aquaculture than non-aquaculture areas, and higher at fish-cage culture than oyster culture areas, suggesting that large-scale mariculture inside the bay played an important role in the eutrophication of the Zhelin Bay. Various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were higher during the warm season （July--September）, which was due to the increased decomposition and concentration of organic matter resulted from the fast growth and high mortality of the cultured species. Compared with July 2002, TkN and TP contents were much higher in July 2003, in consonance with the eutrophication of the Zhelin Bay. Because exchangeable phosphorus （Ex-P）, iron-bounded phos- phorus （Fe-P） and organic phosphorus （OP） combined accounted for 34.3% of the TP and authigenic phosphorus （Au-P     

Natural thermoluminescence of fossil foraminiferals as a potential proxy for deep-sea temperature changes

Foraminiferal shells from two piston cores separately located at the Ninetyeast Ridge and the Bengal Fan of the Indian Ocean were selected and purified for measurements of natural thermoluminescence （NTL） intensity by a high precision thermoluminescence meter （RGD-3）. Variations of the NTL intensity along the two core sequences both spanning the last two glacial--interglacial cycles displayed a strong, identical signal of the global ice volume cycles, which matched well with their corresponding oxygen isotope data. As higher NTL intensity occurred within interglacial periods and changes in an NTL signal were most likely influenced by the temperature of ambient seawater in which the planktonic foraminiferal shells long existed, the NTL signal could be considered as a potential proxy for orbital scale temperature changes of bottom seawater in the tropical Indian Ocean.     

Seasonal variability in free-living marine nematode community structure in a sandy beach of the Taiping Bay of Qingdao, China

Nematode assemblage composition, trophic structure and biodiversity were followed over an annual cycle in a sandy beach of the Taiping Bay of Qingdao, China. Nematode assemblage in the sandy beach maintained a high genus diversity （75 genera）. Mlero- laimus and Bathylaimus were the dominant genus of the nematode assemblage, accounting for 66% of the total nematode abundance. The nematodes＇ dominant trophic structure changed seasonally as a response to the seasonal changes in food quality. Epigrowth-feeder nematodes （2A） were the dominant trophic groups in the trophic structure with the highest abundance in spring because of phytoplankton bloom, while the feeding type （ 1 B） showed higher abundance in summer that was due to the increasing of sediment detritus after spring bloom. Furthermore, species diversity and evenness calculated on nematodes identified to the genus level displayed significant temporal changes, which was also reflected by the index of trophic diversity. According to the cluster analysis, the nematode community structure of the whole year was clearly separated into two periods （A and B）. Biota-Envlron- ment matching （BIOENV） results showed that seawater temperature, sediment Chl a and grain size were responsible for the nema- tode community structure variation in spring and summer period （Period A）. However, seawater/interstitial water temperature, interstitial water dissolved oxygen concentration,interstitial water salinity, and sediment Ph a a were more important in constructing the autumn and winter period （Period B） nematode community structure.     

嘉庚蛸(Octopus tankaheei)基础生物学特征的研究

从2003年1月到2003年12月对浙江省象山港内嘉庚蛸的生物学指标进行了测量,共获取样品408头,分析了其基础生物学的周年变化规律和主要体型特征.结果表明,嘉庚蛸长度分布频率具有明显的季节变化,6,7月份长度分布较其他月份广,6月份分布比较均匀具两个峰值(240和360 mm,所占比例分别为13.3%和16.7%);冬季生长缓慢,3,4月份为快速生长期,体长、体重等指标增长明显,4月底即进入了繁殖季节,在6,7月份可采捕到当年孵化的幼体.嘉庚蛸体长与体重以幂函数拟合最佳,而各体征指标与全长、体重和体积的相关关系也较为显著,但相关方程在雌雄间存在着差异.雌体在体型上明显比雄体粗壮,全长/胴长、全长/胴宽以及全长/体积经统计检验发现雌雄间存在着显著差异,主要表现为若全长相等的情况下,雌体的胴长、胴宽和体积明显大干雄体,自然种群的雌体比雄体更强壮、更丰满.     

Seasonal and spatial distributions of phytoplankton biomass associated with monsoon and oceanic environments in the South China Sea

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton/chlorophyll-a （Chl-a） distribution, sea surface wind, sea height anomaly, sea surface temperature and other oceanic environments for long periods are analyzed in the South China Sea （SCS）, especially in the two typical regions off the east coast of Vietnam and off the northwest coast of Luzon, using remote sensing data and other oceanographic data. The results show that seasonal and spatial distributions of phytoplankton biomass in the SCS are primarily influenced by the monsoon winds and oceanic environments. Off the east coast of Vietnam, Chl-a concentration is a peak in August, a jet shape extending into the interior SCS, which is associated with strong southwesterly monsoon winds, the coastal upwetling induced by offshore Ekman transport and the strong offshore current in the western SCS. In December, high Chl-a concentration appears in the upwelling region off the northwest coast of Luzon and spreads southwestward. Strong mixing by the strong northeasterly monsoon winds, the cyclonic circulation, southwestward coastal currents and river discharge have impacts on distribution of phytoplankton, so that the high phytoplankton biomass extends from the coastal areas over the northern SCS to the entire SCS in winter. These research activities could be important for revealing spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton and their interactions with physical environments in the SCS.     

"古海岸与全球变化"广州论坛在广州大学举行

2007年11月17-19日,“古海岸与全球变化”广州论坛暨广东省地理学会2007年学术年会在广州大学举行(封底照片)。本次会议由广州大学地理科学学院承办,来自教育部高等院校、国土资源部、中国科学院、国家海洋局、省地理和地质学会以及地方院校的150多位专家学者与会,分别就国际古     

苏北潮滩的近期变化分析

利用1999～2000年条子泥岸滩剖面实测数据和1982～1983年东沙沙滩剖面资料,分析了条子泥岸滩和东沙沙滩剖面的冲淤变化。结果表明,条子泥陆侧岸滩剖面的季节性变化特点是夏季侵蚀,冬季淤积;东沙沙脊年际变化特点为两侧边缘以侵蚀为主,而沙脊中央则以淤积为主。造成条子泥岸滩剖面季节性差异的主要原因是其周围海域中高浓度悬沙的秋、冬季落淤大于夏季所致。东沙沙脊东西两侧强烈的潮流和波浪作用使沙脊的两侧遭受较为明显的侵蚀。     

福建岬湾岸型沙质海滩对台风的响应特征

对福建沿岸岬湾岸型沙质海滩的蚀淤变化分析,结果表明:在0418号台风"艾利"袭击下,台风移动路径左侧的两个海滩表现为侵蚀,滩肩蚀低,滨线向陆移动,其中岩下村海滩比卒子村海滩的侵蚀严重,岩下村海滩侵蚀集中在后滨和高潮带,卒子村海滩侵蚀集中在中、低潮带;台风移动路径右侧的衙口村海滩相对比较稳定,仅中潮带出现弱淤积,后滨向陆侧人工堆积沙丘遭受侵蚀.