Non-local impact of large-scale engineering in harbors and gulfs on the environment

A system of numerical tools to predict the non-local long-term impact of large-scale constructions on the environment is described. The predictions have to be results of successive examination of free water oscillations, turbulent boundary layers on the sea bottom, and turbulent pulsation effects on sediment transport. Numerical results related to free water oscillations in diverse gulfs are shown, and non-local effects of the dam construction are found for an example of the Baltic Sea. Feasibility of suggested tools for turbulent flow is manifested.     

南海罗斯贝变形半径的地理及季节变化

根据南海 1°× 1°网格的标准层季节平均温、盐度资料 ,在未引入Boussinesq近似条件下 ,采用改进的Thompson Haskell算法求解线性化斜压海洋水平大尺度波的垂直结构方程 (重力内波方程 ) ,从而得到了南海各网格点的第一斜压重力波相速度和相应的罗斯贝变形半径 ,并探讨其地理分布和季节变化特征 ,以期有助于南海环流和中尺度涡旋以及有关海洋侧边界效应的研究。     

东太平洋赤道海域茎柔鱼小型群体资源分布及其渔场环境特征

茎柔鱼(Dosidicus gigas)是我国远洋渔业的重要捕捞对象。当前针对茎柔鱼渔场分布及其与环境关系的研究多集中于秘鲁海域,针对赤道海域茎柔鱼特定种群小型群体资源分布及其渔场环境特征研究较少。根据2019年12月至2020年2月茎柔鱼生物学数据,2019年12月至2020年4月生产和环境数据,运用胴长-体重关系拟合、地统计插值、广义可加模型(GAM)探究其资源分布及渔场环境状况。结果表明：东太平洋赤道海域茎柔鱼胴长范围为136~407 mm,体重范围为117~1557 g；2019年12月至2020年4月各月渔获量呈先增加后减小趋势,2月渔获量最高；CPUE曲线除2月增加外,总体呈下降趋势；渔场集中分布于0°~3°S、105°W~114°W海域,不同月份渔场重心经向变化明显；渔场最适SST范围是24.5~25.5 °C,最适Chl-a范围是0.16~0.20 mg/m3,月份是影响茎柔鱼CPUE的主要因子。研究表明：该海域茎柔鱼渔获主要为小型群体；小型群体生长发育期(2–3月)对渔场分布有重要影响,生长发育期前茎柔鱼集群度高,生长发育期后逐渐分散活动；单一影响因子与茎柔鱼CPUE相关性不显著,综合考虑其他环境因素及其交互影响是今后的研究方向。     

千岛湖蚤状潘垂直分布格局及其季节与昼夜变化

2004年10月至2005年8月，对不同季节千岛湖蚤状潘的垂直分布情况以及昼夜迁移进行了研究。结果表明，蚤状潘在千岛湖分布广泛，春季和夏季蚤状潘主要分布在15-25m水层，而在秋冬季分布相对均匀，从表层到60m水深都有分布；比较了蚤状漫在不同季节的迁移现象，春季和秋季蚤状潘为夜间迁移模式，而在夏季和冬季虽然都存在迁移现象，但不同于常见的三种迁移模式。     

Comparisons between the influences of habitat, body size and season on the dietary composition of the sparid Acanthopagrus latus in a large marine embayment

Seasonal samples from Shark Bay on the west coast of Australia were used to determine (1) the habitats occupied by the juveniles and adults of Acanthopagrus latus in this large subtropical marine embayment and (2) the extent to which the dietary composition of this sparid is influenced by habitat type, body length and season. Sampling was undertaken in two habitat types in which A. latus was known to be abundant, namely mangrove (Avicennia marina) creeks and nearby rocky areas, the latter comprising sandstone boulders and/or limestone reefs. The mean total length ±95% CLs of A. latus was far lower in mangrove creeks, 126 ± 6.1 mm, than in rocky areas, 313 ± 4.7 mm. As A. latus attains maturity at ca. 245 mm, the juveniles of this species typically occupy mangrove areas and then, with increasing body size, move to nearshore rocky areas, where they become adults. The species composition of the food ingested by juvenile A. latus in mangrove creeks differed markedly from that of large juveniles and adults in rocky areas. Based on analyses of data for both habitat types combined, this difference was far greater than that between size classes and season, which was negligible. There were indications, however, that, overall within each habitat, the dietary composition did change seasonally, although not with body size. Acanthopagrus latus fed predominantly on mangrove material, sesarmid crabs and small gastropods in mangrove habitats, and mainly on Brachidontes ustulatus in rocky areas, where this mytilid bivalve is very abundant. The mangrove material, which contributed nearly 40% of its overall dietary volume in mangrove creeks, consisted mainly of lateral root primordia. This apparently unique food source for a teleost is presumably ingested through subsurface nipping, which would be facilitated by the mouth and dentitional characteristics of sparids. The almost total lack of correspondence in the dietary compositions of fish in the length class that was well represented in both mangrove and rocky areas illustrates the extent to which this sparid is capable of opportunistic feeding behaviour.     

Ecological characteristics of Walleye pollock eggs and larvae in the southeastern Bering Sea during the late 1970s

Walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) is an ecologically and economically important groundfish in the eastern Bering Sea. Its population size fluctuates widely, driving and being driven by changes in other components of the ecosystem. It is becoming apparent that dramatic shifts in climate occur on a decadal scale, and these “regime shifts” strongly affect the biota. This paper examines quantitative collections of planktonic eggs and larvae of pollock from the southeastern Bering Sea during 1976–1979. Mortality, advection, and growth rates were estimated, and compared among the years encompassing the 1970s’ regime shift. These data indicate that pollock spawning starts in late February over the basin north of Bogoslof Island. Over the shelf, most spawning occurs north of Unimak Island near the 100 m isobath in early or mid April. Pollock eggs are advected to the northwest from the main spawning area at 5–10 cm/sec. Larvae are found over the basin north of Bogoslof Island in April, and over the shelf between Unimak Island and the Priblof Islands in May. Compared to 1977, the spawning period appeared to be later in 1976 (a cold year) and earlier in 1978 (a warm year) in the study area. At the lower temperatures in 1976, egg duration would be longer and thus egg mortality would operate over a longer period than in the other years. Mean larval growth appeared to be lower in 1976 than in 1977 and 1979. Estimated egg mortality rate in 1977 was 0.6 in April and 0.3 in early May.     

Study on copper complexing ligand concentrations in several China’s coastal waters

Copper complexing ligand concentrations in the Daya Bay, Qingdao coast, Jiaozhou Bay, South China Sea and Huanghe Estuary waters were determined by the anodic stripping voltammetry technique. The distribution regularity and the relationship with other parameters were discussed. The results were as follows: Copper complexing ligand concentrations of the South China Sea were a little higher than those of other sea areas, and they were apparently higher than those of the ocean. Compared with the subsurface layer (SSL) in the sea surface microlayer copper complexing ligand concentrations showed an enrichment phenomenon, of which the mechanism is similar to dissolved organic matter. The metal complexing ligand concentration profiles of the South China Sea showed that the value in the sea surface was the highest, then it decreased with depth accruing, and a higher value appeared at the bottom. Copper complexing ligand concentrations were higher than those of cadmium and lead. Ligands in each sea area exhibited a complicated property. In short, the distribution regularity of copper complexing ligand concentrations in China' s coastal waters was consistent with that of other regions in the world. Meanwhile, the positive relationship between the copper complexing ligand concentrations and biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved organic carbon, and viscosity were found clearly.     

Atmospheric forcing of the eastern tropical Pacific: A review

The increase in marine, land surface, atmospheric and satellite data during recent decades has led to an improved understanding of the air–sea interaction processes in the eastern tropical Pacific. This is also thanks to extensive diagnoses from conceptual and coupled ocean–atmosphere numerical models. In this paper, mean fields of atmospheric variables, such as incoming solar radiation, sea level pressure, winds, wind stress curl, precipitation, evaporation, and surface energy fluxes, are derived from global atmospheric data sets in order to examine the dominant features of the low level atmospheric circulations of the region. The seasonal march of the atmospheric circulations is presented to depict the role of radiative forcing on atmospheric perturbations, especially those dominating the atmosphere at low levels.In the tropics, the trade winds constitute an important north–south energy and moisture exchange mechanism (as part of the low level branch of the Hadley circulation), that determines to a large extent the precipitation distribution in the region, i.e., that associated with the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Monsoonal circulations also play an important role in determining the warm season precipitation distribution over the eastern tropical Pacific through a large variety of air–sea–land interaction mechanisms. Westward traveling waves, tropical cyclones, low latitude cold air intrusions, and other synoptic and mesoscale perturbations associated with the ITCZ are also important elements that modulate the annual rainfall cycle. The low-level jets of the Gulf of California, the Intra-Americas Sea (Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea) and Chocó, Colombia are prominent features of the eastern tropical Pacific low-level circulations related to sub-regional and regional scale precipitation patterns. Observations show that the Intra-Americas Low-Level Jet intensity varies with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases, however its origin and role in the westward propagation and development of disturbances that may hit the eastern tropical Pacific, such as easterly waves and tropical cyclones, are still unclear. Changes in the intensity of the trade winds in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (associated with eastern tropical Pacific wind jets) exert an important control on precipitation by means of wind–topography interactions. Gaps in the mountains of southern Mexico and Central America allow strong wind jets to pass over the continent imprinting a unique signal in sea surface temperatures and ocean dynamics of the eastern tropical Pacific.The warm pools of the Americas constitute an important source of moisture for the North American Monsoon System. The northeastern tropical Pacific is a region of intense cyclogenetic activity, just west of the coast of Mesoamerica. Over the oceanic regions, large-scale properties of key variables such as precipitation, moisture, surface energy fluxes and wind stress curl are still uncertain, which inhibits a more comprehensive view of the region and stresses the importance of regional field experiments. Progress has been substantial in the understanding of the ocean and atmospheric dynamics of the eastern tropical Pacific, however, recent observational evidence such as that of a shallow meridional circulation cell in that region, in contrast to the classic concept of the Hadley-type deep meridional circulation, suggests that more in situ observations to validate theories are still necessary.This paper is part of a comprehensive review of the oceanography of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.     

Seasonality and interannual variability of freshwater inflow to a large oligohaline estuary in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Quantity, timing, duration, and fluctuation of freshwater inflow are important factors affecting the development and health of aquatic and adjacent wetland ecosystems in coastal estuaries. This study assessed six decades of freshwater inflow from the Amite River, Tickfaw River, and Tangipahoa River watersheds to Lake Pontchartrain, a large oligohaline estuary in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, whose flood waters caused recent damage to the city of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. By utilizing the long-term (1940–2002) river discharge and climatic data from the three major tributary watersheds, monthly and annual freshwater inflows have been quantified and their spatial and temporal variations have been analyzed. On average, the three rivers discharged (±standard error) 0.27 ± 0.04 km³ freshwater monthly and 3.29 ± 0.15 km³ freshwater annually into the lake estuarine system, with the highest inflow from the Amite River (0.16 ± 0.03 m³ mon⁻¹, and 1.91 ± 0.09 km³ yr⁻¹) and the lowest inflow from the Tickfaw River (0.03 ± 0.00 km³ mon⁻¹, and 0.34 ± 0.02 km³ yr⁻¹). A distinct seasonality was evident with over 69% of the total annual inflow occurring during December and May (wet months) and with a low flow period from August to November (dry months). The monthly inflow during the wet months was positively correlated with the monthly precipitation (r² = 0.64), while the monthly inflow during the dry months was subject to evapotranspiration. Furthermore, the study found a 20-year low flow period from 1954–1973 (2.76 ± 0.24 km³ yr⁻¹) and a 24-year high flow period from 1975–1998 (3.84 ± 0.24 km³ yr⁻¹), coinciding with both the climate variation and population growth in the watersheds.     

Atmospherically-promoted photosynthetic activity in a well-mixed ecosystem: Significance of wet deposition events of nitrogen compounds

Wet atmospheric deposition of dissolved N, P and Si species is studied in well-mixed coastal ecosystem to evaluate its potential to stimulate photosynthetic activities in nutrient-depleted conditions. Our results show that, during spring, seawater is greatly depleted in major nutrients: Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN), Dissolved Inorganic Phosphorus (DIP) and Silicic acid (Si), in parallel with an increase of phytoplanktonic biomass. In spring (March–May) and summer (June–September), wet atmospheric deposition is the predominant source (>60%, relative to riverine contribution) for nitrates and ammonium inputs to this N-limited coastal ecosystem. During winter (October–February), riverine inputs of DIN predominate (>80%) and are annually the most important source of DIP (>90%). This situation allows us to calculate the possibility for a significant contribution to primary production in May 2003, from atmospheric deposition (total input for DIN ≈300 kg km⁻² month⁻¹). Based on usual Redfield ratios and assuming that all of the atmospheric-derived N (AD-N) in rainwater is bioavailable for phytoplankton growth, we can estimate new production due to AD-N of 950 mg C m⁻² month⁻¹, during this period of depletion in the water column. During the same episode (May 2003), photosynthetic activity rate, considered as gross primary production, was estimated to approximately 30 300 mg C m⁻² month⁻¹. Calculation indicates that new photosynthetic activity due to wet atmospheric inputs of nitrogen could be up to 3%.