On tectonic movement in the South China Sea during the Cenozoic

The tectonic movement taking place at the end of Cretaceous and the beginning of Cenozoic had opened the Cenozoic phase of polycyclic tectonic movements, then the whole crust of the South China Sea had been mainly subjected to the regional stress field of tectonic tension, which was characterized by rifting depression. Seven times of regional tectonic movement and sedimentation had been assembled into a geological development history of polycyclic oscillation. Especially, the tectonic movements were strongly intensified at the end of Cretacious and the beginning of Paleagene, between Late Eocene and MidOligocene, during Mid and Late Miocene. These three times of tectonic movement had built the most important regional tectonic interfaces in the South China Sea. Crust movements of the South China Sea were the result and epitome of interaction of the Eurasia, Pacific and IndoAustralia plates, that is, they were introduced by polycyclic changes of directions, rates and strengths of lithospheric movements and asthenospheric flows across the Pacific and IndoAustralia plates.     

Report of Prionospio complex (Annelida: Polychaeta: Spionidae) from China's waters, with description of a new species

Nine species of Prionospio complex are recorded from China’s waters, including one new species and six newly recorded species. Prionospio (Prionospio) pacifica sp. nov., is characterized by having first and forth pairs of branchiae pinnate, second and third pairs of apinnate, ventral crest on Setiger 9 and dorsal crests on Setigers 10—25. Apoprionospio kirrae (Wilson, 1990), Prionospio (Aquilaspio) convexa Imajima, 1990, Prionospio (Minuspio) multibranchiata Berkeley, 1927, Prionospio (Prionospio) bocki Sderstrm, 1920, Prionospio (Prionospio) dubia Maciolek, 1985 and Prionospio (Prionospio) paradisea Imajima, 1990 are recorded for the first time from China’s waters.     

The mapping methods and division of tectonic units of the regional tectonic map in the eastern China seas and adjacent regions

The geological-geophysical map series of the eastern China seas and adjacent region (1:1 000 000) will be published in the late half year of 2009. The regional tectonic map is one of the main professional maps. The Mapping methods, the division method of geological tectonic units and the main geological tectonic units are mainly discussed. The strata from Pliocene to Holocene are peeled off so as to display the Pre-Pliocene structures. In basins, isopaches are drawn for the Cenozoic deposits. The plate tectonic theory and present tectonic pattern are adopted as the priorities in tectonic division. As to the division of intraplate tectonic units, it is a revision, complement and improvement of previous dividing systems, and the nomenclature for each tectonic unit follows the current system in China. The first-order tectonic unit is plate (Pacific Plate, Eurasian Plate and Philippine Sea Plate). The second-order tectonic unit is tectonic domain (East Asian continental tectonic domain,East Asian continental margin tectonic domain and west Pacific tectonic domain). The Philippine Sea Plate and the west part of the Pacific Plate are called the West Pacific tectonic domain. The part of the Eurasian Plate involved in this study area can be further divided into East Asian continental tectonic domain and East Asian continental margin tectonic domain. The East Asian continental margin domain is composed of the Ryukyu island arc, the Okinawa Trough back-arc basin and the back-arc basin of Sea of Japan. The East Asian continental tectonic domain in this study area is composed of the Sino-Korea Massif, the Changjiang River (Yangtze) Massif and South China Massif. In turn, these massifs consist of basins, folded belts or uplift zones. The basins,the folded belts or the uplift zones are further divided into uplifts and depressions made up of sags and swells.     

东海内陆架表层沉积物粒度及其净输运模式

根据对东海内陆架海底沉积物的粒度测试,运用Gao-Collins"粒度趋势分析"方法,探讨了东海内陆架海底表层沉积物的粒度分布特征和净输运趋势。结果表明,研究区表层沉积物可以分为两类:细颗粒(>5Φ)和粗颗粒(<5Φ);细颗粒分布于研究区的大部分区域,而粗颗粒主要分布在闽江、瓯江等入海河流口门以及马祖等海岛附近;表层沉积物的平均粒径、分选系数、偏态等粒度参数对应性较好,总体特征为粒径越粗,分选越差,偏态更正偏,而粒径越细,分选越好,偏态也较低;粒径趋势分析显示东海陆架表层沉积物的运移模式总体为NE—WS方向运移,而研究区边缘在运移过程中发生向左右两侧的偏移,南部闽江河口区沉积物由近岸向海方向辐射运移,研究区表层沉积物的净输运模式主要受控于流系和地形等多种因素。     

东海陆架两期沙脊的时空对比东海陆架两期沙脊的时空对比

基于高分辨率的单道地震和多波束测深数据,识别并对比了东海陆架中部同一海区相距20余万年的层U14和层U2两期沙脊群,其中层U14期沙脊属于埋藏沙脊,位于东海海底以下90 m深处,推测属于距今320~200 ka的海侵体系域(TST),沙脊顶界面是该期海侵的最大洪泛面(MFS);层U2期沙脊位于东海陆架,属于衰退沙脊,系末次盛冰期(LGM)以来的TST,顶界面是LGM以来的MFS。尽管两期沙脊形成年代相距20余万年,地层层位相距近90 m,但是沙脊群总体走向一致,表明距今2×105 a以来东海陆架潮波基本格局稳定。从层U2期可识别出4个亚期沙脊,通过多波束海底地形图可识别出4组走向的沙脊,多亚期、多走向沙脊是LGM以来海平面阶梯状波动在海底地形演变过程中的响应证据。     

南海东北部新构造运动及其动力学机制

南海东北部地处欧亚板块与菲律宾海板块的交汇区,新构造运动活跃。根据地震活动性、震源机制解和GPS资料对该区的新构造活动特征进行分析,在此基础上讨论该区新构造运动的动力学机制。分析发现,菲律宾海板块NW向俯冲对该区的影响最为显著,导致了该区较强的地震活动性以及与俯冲方向一致的构造应力场。而印藏碰撞产生的侧向应力传递也影响到该区,控制华南地块向SE方向运动,并与菲律宾海板块的NW向俯冲共同作用,使华南地块在SE向运动的同时伴有逆时针旋转。印藏碰撞的SE向应力传递对俯冲产生的NW向水平挤压的抵消作用,使得地震活动性自东向西减弱以及构造应力场P轴方位角顺时针旋转。在这一背景下,区内滨海断裂带的活动控制了该区的地震、海岸带构造升降等新构造运动。     

南海北部陆坡神狐海域晚中新世以来沉积物中生物组分变化及意义

对南海北部陆坡神狐海域4口钻孔(BY1、BY2、BY3、BY4)岩心沉积物中微体古生物的研究表明晚中新世以来该区沉积物中硅质和钙质生物组分丰度具有较大时间和空间变化。从时间上看,硅质生物在晚中新世—上新世几乎缺失,中更新世以来约40万年(0～24m)才较多出现,18万年以后繁盛,大于0.15mm粗粒级有孔虫在晚中新世期间丰度很低,而在更新世—上新世丰度很高;空间上的差异表现在不同的钻井岩心中生物丰度变化范围较大。根据硅质生物丰度变化可推测晚中新世—上新世—早更新世时海水表层古生产力极低,而中更新世以来古生产力相对较高。南海北部钙质生物丰度的变化主要受控于陆源物质的输入量,在钻探区可识别2个可能具有不同物质来源的小区块,如BY1、BY2孔晚中新世—上新世陆源物质的输入量高于更新世,BY3和BY4孔更新世陆源物质的输入量高于上新世。2007年本区钻探结果揭示的一个令人惊奇和十分独特的现象,水合物以高达20%～49%饱和度状态分散在细粒沉积物(黏土粉砂)孔隙中,本研究发现这些矿层富含钙质生物组分(钙质超微化石和有孔虫),而硅质组分贫乏。由此初步推测,大量钙质生物组分的存在可能增加了黏土粉砂沉积物的孔隙空间,从而为大...     

东海内陆架泥质沉积区全新世古环境变迁:有孔虫证据

对东海内陆架MD06-3040柱状样257个沉积物样品进行了有孔虫及其氧碳稳定同位素分析,应用底栖有孔虫组合和不同生态(表生/内生、内陆架/中外陆架)种的丰度,浮游有孔虫Globigerina.bulloides和Globigeri-noides.ruber的丰度及其稳定同位素记录,探讨了研究区全新世10.6cal.kaBP以来的古环境变迁。分析结果揭示了研究区全新世早期海面快速上升,沉积环境由滨岸内陆架(10.6～9.9cal.kaBP)、内陆架外缘(9.9～8.1cal.kaBP)转变至中陆架并达全新世最高海面(7.7～7.2cal.kaBP)。台湾暖流在8.0cal.kaBP起开始发育,并在6.0～2.8和0.7～0cal.kaBP两个时期派生出明显的上升流。台湾暖流及其所派生的上升流是造成东海陆架泥质快速沉积的最主要原因。采用浮游有孔虫G.bulloides的丰度变化,推测浙闽沿岸流在5.1cal.kaBP之前较弱,之后显著增强,其中在5.1～2.8cal.kaBP时期最为强盛。     

兴凯湖沉积物磁化率和色度反映的28kaBP以来区域古气候环境演化

对兴凯湖长269 cm的沉积岩心的研究结果显示:沉积物的色度和磁化率特征可以较好地反映区域气候环境变化。沉积物明度分别与红度、磁化率、黏土和有机质含量之间及磁化率与黏土之间有很好的相关性;红度高值与明度低值对应暖湿气候环境,磁化率低值反映沉积物较粗的较低湖面,对应冷干气候。28480~26160 cal.aBP,湖区处于温湿气候时期;22880~18170 cal.aBP,岩心孢粉浓度很低,流域处于末次盛冰期疏桦林草原环境;18170~12650 cal.aBP处于Bφlling/Older Dryas/Allerφd暖期。岩心深度90~78 cm段,对应于新仙女木期;11500~4570 cal.aBP,进入全新世暖期,其中8000~5000 cal.aBP,本区处于全新世大暖期(气候适宜期);4570~1470 cal.aBP气候变为凉干;1470 cal.aBP以来,流域又变为暖湿气候环境,同时,人类活动逐渐增强造成水土流失加剧。     

Cadmium and phosphorus cycling in the water column of the South China Sea: The roles of biotic and abiotic particles

The concentrations of cadmium, phosphorus, and aluminum in size-fractionated phytoplankton, zooplankton, and sinking particles are determined using ICPMS to evaluate the roles of biotic and abiotic particles on the cycling and ratios of Cd and P in the water column. Plankton were collected with a filtration apparatus equipped with 10-, 60-, and 150-μm aperture plankton nets on two occasions (2002 and 2006), and sinking particles were sampled by moored sediment traps deployed at depths of 120, 600, and 3500 m from 2004 to 2005. In contrast to what our previous study revealed, i.e., that most of the other bioactive trace metals in plankton were strongly correlated with abiotic Al and adsorbed on phytoplankton [Ho, T.Y., Wen, L.S., You, C.F., Lee, D.C., 2007. The trace metal composition of size-fractionated plankton in the South China Sea: biotic versus abiotic sources. Limnol Oceanogr 52, 1776–88.], Cd/P ratios, ranging from 0.12 to 0.34 mmol/mol P, did not vary with Al and exhibited fairly consistent values among different sizes of plankton, showing that Cd was mostly incorporated on an intracellular basis. In terms of the sinking particles, fluxes in Cd and P as well as in Cd/P ratios were strongly influenced by both biotic and abiotic particles. Overall, the Cd/P ratios in the sinking particles ranged from 0.03 to 1.2 mmol/mol, with the highest value observed in traps at 120 m during the productive season. The lowest value was observed in deep water during high flux periods for lithogenic particles. At surface depth, flux and Cd/P ratios were elevated during the most productive season in the region. The elevated ratios in the traps at 120 m were most likely related to preferential uptake of Cd for the dominant species (coccolithophores) during the productive period. Relatively, Cd/P ratios sharply decreased with increasing Al flux in deep water and ratios were much lower than the expected Cd/P ratios obtained from the relative portion of lithogenic and biogenic particles, indicating that the adsorption of soluble P into lithogenic particles was significant in the deep water during high lithogenic particle flux periods. Using averaged annual fluxes and standing stock in the water column, the residence time of biogenic Cd and P are 0.10 and 0.20, 250 and 100, and 9100 and 5000 years respectively in the top 120 m, 600 m, and water column as a whole, also showing preferential removal for Cd in the euphotic zone but relatively higher removal rates for P in the deep water. Our study suggests that the shift in microalgal community structure along with input of lithogenic minerals are both potentially important factors in influencing Cd/P ratios in oceanic water on a geological time scale.