Long-Chain Alkenones in the South Yellow Sea Sediments and Their Indicative Significance for Haptophytes Species

Long-chain alkenones(LCAs)have been widely used as important biomarkers in palaeoceanographic studies.However,the commonly used LCAs proxies are mainly based on C_(37) alkenones,and it is still lack of the studies about the distribution and in-dications of LCAs with different chain lengths other than C_(37) alkenones.Here,the composition and distribution of LCAs were ana-lyzed in surface sediments from the southern Yellow Sea(SYS)and a sedimentary core(A02-C)from the central Yellow Sea(YS)mud area.The results showed that C_(37),C_(38) and C_(39) alkenones were the major LCAs in surface sediments of the SYS,and the relative contents of C_(38:2)Et,C_(37:2)Me,C_(37:3)Me,C_(38:2)Me,C_(38:3)Et,C_(38:3)Me,C_(39:2)Et and C_(39:3)Et were 18.3%-59.8%,22.6%-41.2%,7.4%-23.0%,6.6%-15.4%,3.8%-13.3%,3.6%-8.7%,2.8%-6.0% and 0.7%-3.0%,respectively.Then the relationships of U_(38Me)^(K)-U_(38Et)^(K) and U_(37)^(K')-U_(38Et)^(K) indicate that LCAs are mainly derived from Emiliania huxleyi(E.huxleyi).High ratios of total C_(37) alkenones to total C_(38) alkenones(K_(37)/K_(38))(1-1.2)were found in the central SYS,corresponding to the relatively high abundance of E.huxleyi;while low ratios of K_(37)/K_(38)(0.7-0.9)were observed at nearshore area of the SYS where Gephyrocapsa oceanica(G.oceanica)has rela-tively high abundance.The spatial distribution of K_(37)/K_(38) ratio is also consistent with that of coccolithophores nannofossil in the sediments.In addition,K_(37)/K_(38) ratio in core A02-C varied from 0.7 to 1.1 with a gradual decreasing trend during the past 5.5 kyr.This suggests that the relative abundance of E.huxleyi decreased gradually,caused by the changes in the Yellow Sea Warm Current(YSWC)and the East Asian Winter Monsoon(EAWM)during this period.

Physical and mechanical properties and microstructures of submarine soils in the Yellow Sea

In recent years,the exploration of seabed has been intensified,but the submarine soils of silt and sand in the Yellow Sea area have not been well investigated so far.In this study,the physical and mechanical properties of silt and sand from the Yellow Sea were measured using a direct shear apparatus and their microstructures were observed using a scanning electron microscope.The test results suggest that the shear strength of silt and sand increases linearly with the increase of normal stress.Based on the direct shear test,the scanning electron microscope was used to observe the section surface of sand.It is observed that the section surface becomes rough,with many“V”‐shaped cracks.Many particles appear on the surface of the silt structure and tend to be disintegrated.The X‐ray diffraction experiment reveals that the sand and silt have different compositions.The shear strength of sand is slightly greater than that of silt under high stress,which is related to the shape of soil particles and the mineral composition.These results can be a reference for further study of other soils in the Yellow Sea;meanwhile,they can serve as soil parameters for the stability and durability analyses of offshore infrastructure construction.

Spatial patterns of zooplankton abundance,biovolume,and size structure in response to environmental variables:a case study in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The Yellow Sea(YS)and East China Sea(ECS)are highly dynamic marginal seas of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.To gain an in-depth understanding of zooplankton community structure,zooplankton abundance,biovolume,and size structure in summer 2017 in the YS and ECS were assessed using ZooScan imaging analysis.Zooplankton abundance and biovolume ranged 2.94–1187.14 inds./m^(3)and 3.13–3438.51 mm^(3)/m^(3),respectively.Based on the biovolume data of the categorized size classes of 26 identified taxonomic groups,the zooplankton community was classified into five groups,and each group was coupled with distinctive oceanographic features.Under the influence of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass,the Yellow Sea offshore group featured the lowest bottom temperature(10.84±3.42℃)and the most abundant Calanoids(mainly in the 2–3 mm size class).In the Yellow Sea inshore group,Hydrozoans showed the largest biovolume and dominated in the 3–4-mm and>5-mm size classes.The East China Sea offshore group,which was affected by the Kuroshio Branch Current,featured high temperature and salinity,and the lowest bottom dissolved oxygen(2.58±0.5 mg/L).The lowest values of zooplankton abundance and biovolume in the East China Sea offshore group might be attributed to the bottom dissolved oxygen contents.The East China Sea inshore group,which was mainly influenced by the Zhejiang-Fujian Coastal Current and Changjiang Diluted Water,was characterized by high chlorophyll a and the largest biovolume of carnivorous Siphonophores(280.82±303.37 mm^(3)/m^(3)).The Changjiang River estuary offshore group showed the most abundant Cyclopoids,which might be associated with the less turbid water mass in this region.Seawater temperature was considered the most important factor in shaping the size compositions of Calanoids in different groups.

Morphological,phylogenetic and metabolite profile of Prorocentrum clipeus,a newly recorded epiphytic dinoflagellate in the northern Yellow Sea

More than 30 species of benthic Prorocentrum have been identified,some of which produce okadaic acid(OA)and its derivatives,dinophysistoxins(DTXs),which cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning(DSP).Increasing numbers of benthic Prorocentrum species have been reported in tropical and subtropical waters of China.In contrast,only a few benthic Prorocentrum species have been reported in temperate waters.In this study,morphological descriptions obtained using light microscopy,scanning electron microscopy and molecular characterization of one Prorocentrum clipeus strain isolated from the Yellow Sea are presented.Prorocentrum clipeus cells were nearly circular in shape,with a collar,ridge,and one protrusion.The periflagellar area was wide U-shaped,with two curved projections on platelet 1a.Nine periflagellar platelets of different sizes were observed.The morphology closely fits that of the species isolated from other locations.Phylogenetic analysis based on the molecular sequences of the small subunit(SSU)rDNA,internal transcribed spacer(ITS),and large subunit(LSU)rDNA was performed.A comprehensive metabolomic analysis incorporating target,suspect and non-target screenings was first applied to investigate the intracellular and extracellular metabolite profiles of the current isolate of P.clipeus.According to the results of the target and suspect screenings,179 metabolites or toxins produced by DSP-related algal species,including OA,dinophysistoxin-1(DTX1),dinophysistoxin-2(DTX2)and pectenotoxin-2(PTX2),were not detected.Non-target screening involving feature-based molecular networking(FBMN)provided a global view of major metabolites produced by the P.clipeus DF128 strain and revealed 23 clusters belonging to at least 13 compound classes,with organometallic compounds,lipids and lipid-like molecules,phenylpropanoids and polyketides,and benzenoids as major types.To date,this is the first record of the characterization of P.clipeus in samples from Chinese waters.Our results support the wide distribution of epibenthic Prorocentrum species.

Analysis on the causes of massive stranding of Yellow Sea green tide on Lianyungang and Rizhao coasts in 2022

In 2022,Yellow Sea green tide caused by Ulva prolifera reached a historic minimum and the coastal areas of Shandong Peninsula were less affected.However,the largest amount of seaweed biomass has been washed ashore on Lianyungang and Rizhao coasts since 2015.We studied the development pattern of Yellow Sea green tide in 2022,and analyzed the key environmental factors on the growth and drifting,then discussed the possible reasons that resulted in the massive stranding of green tide biomass in Lianyungang and Rizhao.Results show under the combined influence of the east to southeast winds and currents with shoreward anomalies,green tide drifted to the coastal waters between Shandong and Jiangsu provinces and the distribution areas located westward compared with previous years(2008–2021).Floating U.prolifera rafts from the coastal waters of Binhai and Sheyang drifted continuously into the coastal waters of Lianyungang and Rizhao,providing important supplements for Yellow Sea green tide.Because green tide in 2022 distributed close to the coastal waters,the abundant nutrients might support their continuous high growth rate.In addition,the amount of rainfall around Shandong Peninsula from late June to early July were significantly higher than in previous years,which might promote the development of green tide to some extent.

Contributors to tidal duration asymmetry with varied coastline configurations on western shelf of Yellow Sea

Coastal management in China is confronted with an urgent choice between natural restoration and maintenance of existing seawalls and reclaimed land for economic development.A key criterion for making this decision is the resilience to coastal flooding,which depends on the ability to predict tidal level.Tidal duration asymmetry(TDA)is a key parameter in determination of the arrival and duration of flood tides.This study selected the western inner shelf of the Yellow Sea(WYS)as the study area and investigated the responses of TDA to different shoreline configurations and relative sea level rise.The responses of TDA to shoreline reconstruction yielded spatial variability locally and remotely.In the nearshore area,the responses of TDA to the complex ocean environment mainly originated from the combined functions of reflection,bottom friction,and advection,which controlled the energy transfer from M2 or S2 constituents to their overtides or compound tides.The sensitivity of TDA to coastline typologies was not limited to coastal waters but could stretch over the entire inner shelf.The vulnerability of tidal responses was due to the displacement of the M2 amphidrome of the Kelvin wave on the WYS,which in turn changed tidal energy fluxes over the regime.The relative sea level rise could intensify the feedback of TDA to seawalls and land reclamation.

Spatio-temporal variability of surface chlorophyll a in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea based on reconstructions of satellite data of 2001-2020

Chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration is a primary indicator for marine environmental monitoring.The spatio-temporal variations of sea surface Chl-a concentration in the Yellow Sea(YS)and the East China Sea(ECS)in 2001-2020 were investigated by reconstructing the MODIS Level 3 products with the data interpolation empirical orthogonal function(DINEOF)method.The reconstructed results by interpolating the combined MODIS daily+8-day datasets were found better than those merely by interpolating daily or 8-day data.Chl-a concentration in the YS and the ECS reached its maximum in spring,with blooms occurring,decreased in summer and autumn,and increased in late autumn and early winter.By performing empirical orthogonal function(EOF)decomposition of the reconstructed data fields and correlation analysis with several potential environmental factors,we found that the sea surface temperature(SST)plays a significant role in the seasonal variation of Chl a,especially during spring and summer.The increase of SST in spring and the upper-layer nutrients mixed up during the last winter might favor the occurrence of spring blooms.The high sea surface temperature(SST)throughout the summer would strengthen the vertical stratification and prevent nutrients supply from deep water,resulting in low surface Chl-a concentrations.The sea surface Chl-a concentration in the YS was found decreased significantly from 2012 to 2020,which was possibly related to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO).

Velocity structure in the South Yellow Sea basin based on first-arrival tomography of wide-angle seismic data and its geological implications

The South Yellow Sea basin is filled with Mesozoic-Cenozoic continental sediments overlying pre-Palaeozoic and Mesozoic-Palaeozoic marine sediments.Conventional multi-channel seismic data cannot describe the velocity structure of the marine residual basin in detail,leading to the lack of a deeper understanding of the distribution and lithology owing to strong energy shielding on the top interface of marine sediments.In this study,we present seismic tomography data from ocean bottom seismographs that describe the NEE-trending velocity distributions of the basin.The results indicate that strong velocity variations occur at shallow crustal levels.Horizontal velocity bodies show good correlation with surface geological features,and multi-layer features exist in the vertical velocity framework(depth:0–10 km).The analyses of the velocity model,gravity data,magnetic data,multichannel seismic profiles,and drilling data showed that high-velocity anomalies(>6.5 km/s)of small(thickness:1–2 km)and large(thickness:>5 km)scales were caused by igneous complexes in the multi-layer structure,which were active during the Palaeogene.Possible locations of good Mesozoic and Palaeozoic marine strata are limited to the Central Uplift and the western part of the Northern Depression along the wide-angle ocean bottom seismograph array.Following the Indosinian movement,a strong compression existed in the Northern Depression during the extensional phase that caused the formation of folds in the middle of the survey line.This study is useful for reconstructing the regional tectonic evolution and delineating the distribution of the marine residual basin in the South Yellow Sea basin.

Functional groups and seasonal diversity of crustacean zooplankton in adjacent waters of Haizhou Bay,South Yellow Sea

Zooplankton are important linkages in the food web and can respond nonlinearly to environmental changes.Marine organisms thrive from spring to summer.Thus,it is crucial to understand how ecological functions of zooplankton communities may shift under seasonal environmental changes during this period.Samples were collected from May to August(May,June-Ⅰ,June-Ⅱ,July-Ⅰ,July-Ⅱ,and August)in 2018 in Haizhou Bay,Jiangsu,East China for zooplankton and environmental variables.Crustaceans accounted for 75 out of 134 zooplankton taxa and 91.8%of total zooplankton abundance.The average abundance of crustacean varied between 2824.6±635.4 inds./m3 in July-Ⅱand 6502.7±1008.8 inds./m3 in June-Ⅱ.Multivariate analyses results showed that the dissimilarity of community increased gradually in the time series.Body length,feeding type,trophic group,and reproduction mode were used to investigate crustacean community functions.Trait-based functional groups contained species with similar ecological roles.Functional diversity fused the differences of species and trait.The proportion of large-sized species(2-5 mm)decreased with the increasing proportion of medium-sized species(1-2 mm).The proportion of current feeders increased with the drop in the proportion of mixed feeders.Parthenogenesis species increased with decreasing free spawners,and omnivores-carnivores increased with decreasing omnivoresherbivores.Generalized additive models suggested that temperature was the main driver of variations in crustacean zooplankton function.Seven identified functional groups varied with increasing temperature.Omnivorous-herbivorous copepods declined(90.0%-68.0%),whereas the parthenogenetic cladocerans increased(0-24.1%).The small egg-brooding ambush copepods fluctuated(6.5%-9.3%)with increasing water temperature.The other functional groups changed slightly.Functional diversity also varied according to temperature changes.The community structure and ecological function of crustacean zooplankton community showed gradual changes with increasing temperature from spring to summer.

Role of Resuspended Sediments as Sources of Dissolved Inorganic Phosphorus Along Different Dimensions in the Subei Shoal, South Yellow Sea, China

Several studies have documented that during‘green tide’events,comprising green macroalgae blooms in aquatic ecosystems,dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP)levels remain relatively steady despite the absorption of a large amount of DIP.In this study,surface sediment samples and a sediment core were extracted using a modified sequential extraction scheme,and water and surface sediment samples were analyzed in April 2017 to better understand phosphorus(P)cycling and replenishment in Subei shoal.We used a simple model on equilibrium of adsorption-desorption to present the buffering capacity of phosphate.The total P(TP)in the surface sediments ranged from 12.2 to 28.4μmol g^(-1)(average 15.5μmol g^(-1))and was dominated by inorganic P.TP,exchangeable P,reactive and reductive Fe/Al bound P,and authigenic apatite P significantly decreased northward and eastward from Subei shoal,contrary to the detrital P and organic P results.Dissolved and particulate inorganic P in the water samples ranged from 0.01 to 0.54μmol L^(-1)(average 0.19μmol L^(-1))and 0.9 to 19.6μmol g^(-1)(average 4.9μmol g^(-1)),respectively.The applied model showed that suspended particulate matter is an important regulator of DIP behavior.Thus,modification of SPM can alter the DIP buffering capacity.The calculated buffering capacity in the surface layer of the sea water was>60 within Subei shoal and always>10 along the path of floating Ulva prolifera,providing a reasonable explanation for the steady concentration of DIP and its replenishment during the blooming of this green macroalgae.

Water temperature induced interannual variation in spawning of Japanese Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus niphonius in the northern Yellow Sea

Japanese Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus niphonius is a pelagic,neritic species that occurs in the Yellow Sea in high commercial value.The spawning period of this fast-growing species is controlled by water temperature.Based on microstructural analysis of otoliths from 145 young-of-the-year(YoY)S.niphonius collected by trawl in 2017,2018,and 2020,and the temporal variation in the spawning period in the northern Yellow Sea,and its relationship to water temperature were examined.We found that the spawning lasted from late April to late June but differed in year:in 2017 it occurred from April 23 to June 1 and peaked in early May,in 2018 it extended later from May 7 to June 29,and in 2020 from May 6 to June 22 and peaked later from late May to mid-June.The highest temperature in 2017 corresponds with the earliest end of the spawning period and a lower growing degree-day(GDD,℃·day)of 383℃·day.In 2018,slower warming corresponds with a longer spawning period,and a GDD spawning period of 506℃·day.Rapid warming in late 2020 corresponds with a spawning peak,and a GDD spawning temperature of 448℃·day.Despite differences in spawning period,the water temperature when spawning commenced was 10-12℃.Therefore,water temperature is the major determinant of the spawning period,affecting both the starting and the ending of spawning.This study improved our understanding of the spawning dynamics and environmental adaptation of S.niphonius,and how these might change in environments subject to increased warming.

Organic geochemical characteristics and significance of Permian Gufeng formation siliceous shale in well CSDP-2 of South Yellow Sea central uplift

In order to understand the hydrocarbon generation potential of the siliceous shale in the Permian Gufeng Formation of the South Yellow Sea,the organic geochemistry and organic petrology of the siliceous shale in the Gufeng Formation of the CSDP-2 well were studied and analyzed.It is found that the TOC of the samples is mainly between 9%and 12%,and Tmaxis mainly distributed between 510 and 540℃.The value of the organic microscopic type index(TI)is between 25.71 and 31.00,which is a set of II_(2)high-quality source rocks with high organic matter abundance in the over mature stage of largescale gas generation.According to the distribution characteristics of Molecular fossils in siliceous shale of Gufeng Formation of well CSDP-2,bacterial organic matter is the main hydrocarbon generating parent material,and aquatic animal organic matter is an important hydrocarbon generating parent material.The siliceous shale in Gufeng Formation of CSDP-2 well is in the stage of large-scale gas generation;Therefore,the Gufeng Formation in the central uplift of the South Yellow Sea has the material basis for the formation of large-scale shale gas reservoirs.At the same time,the siliceous metasomatism of the siliceous shale reservoir of Gufeng Formation is not conducive to the primary migration of oil,and there is much oil and gas remaining in the reservoir.

Ecological evaluation of marine macroalgal communities on five islands of Korea in the Yellow Sea

Macroalgae have long been used as biological indicators of marine ecosystem health worldwide due to their ecological importance and sensitivity to environmental stress.A number of previous studies have utilized macroalgal communities in monitoring surveys of environmental conditions.This study examined the characteristics and patterns of marine macroalgal communities in the Yellow Sea off the western coast of Korea.Macroalgae were analyzed for the number of species,biomass,and coverage ratio by macroalgal type.During the study period,82 macroalgal species(10 green algae,17 brown algae,and 55 red algae)were identified at the five study sites,with the highest number of species found at Gwanrido and Uido(both containing 41 species)and the lowest at Daeijakdo(27 species).The average biomass(via dry weight)was 98.63 g/m^(2),consisting of green algae(8.39 g/m^(2)),brown algae(35.08 g/m^(2)),and red algae(55.16 g/m^(2)).The dominant macroalgae species in terms of biomass were Corallina pilulifera,Sargassum thunbergii,and Ulva australis in the intertidal zones,and Botryocladia wrightii and Gelidium elegans in the subtidal zones.Richness,evenness,and diversity indices based on the biomass of abundant species were 5.08,0.65,and 2.30,respectively,over the entire study area.Based on the evaluation of the environmental states by the community indices,overall,the Ecological Evaluation Index of macroalgae communities in the study area was marked as“Good-Moderate”,but was determined as“ModerateLow”at several sites during summer.The results can be a direct approach in the assessment of coastal habitats in which anthropogenic as well as climate change influences persist.

Seasonal evolution of the Northern Yellow Sea cold water mass

With the in-situ temperature and salinity observations taken seasonally in the Northern Yellow Sea area during the National 908 Water Investigation and Research Project from 2006 to 2007, the characteristics of the Northern Yellow Sea cold water mass （NYSCWM） were studied, including both its spatial pattern over the whole bottom and historically typical section from Dalian to Chengshantou. Seasonal evolution as well as its spatial distribution was analyzed to further understand the NYSCWM, as a result, some new features about the NYSCWM had been found. Compared to the previous studies, the center of colder water mass in summer moved eastward, but sharing the similar peak values for both temperature and salinity with historical data. In spring, the axis of 32.8 psu saltier moves westward approximately 75 km and the high salinity areas beyond 123.5° E were largely impaired comparing to that in winter. In winter, the NYSCWM almost disappeared due to the reinforced wind-induced mixing and the Yellow Sea Warm Currents （YSWC） moved northward and controlled most of the Northern Yellow Sea region. In autumn, two cold centers with the peak value of 9℃ were found inside the attenuated NYSCWM.

Dissolved Inorganic Arsenic in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea—Distributions and Seasonal Variations

The distributions and seasonal variations of total dissolved inorganic arsenic （TDIAs, [TDIAs] = [As^5＋]＋[As^3＋]） and arsenite （As3.） in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea are presented hero based on the observations of 9 cruises carried out in 2000 - 2003. The study area covers a broad range of hydrographic and chemical properties. The emphasis is put on a southeast transect from Changjiang Estuary to the Ryukyu Islands （i.e. PN section） in the East China Sea to discuss the impact of terrestdal input on the marginal seas of China. Arsenic species （TDlAs and arsenite） are determined by selective hydride generation - atomic fluorescence spectrometry （HG-AFS）. TDIAs concentrations were high in the coastal area of Changjiang Estuary and decreased slightly towards the shelf region. High concentratiOns of TDIAs were also existed in the near bottom layer of shelf edge of the East China Sea which indicated another source of arsenic from the incursion of Kuroshio Waters. The seasonal variations of TDIAs in the study area depend on the hydrographic stages of Changjiang and the incursion intensity of Kuroshio Waters. Arsenite showed opposite distributions with TDIAs, with higher concentrations appeared at the surface layer of shelf region, which was positive correlated with the chlorophyll a. Biological conversion of arsenate into arsenite was hypothesized for the observed distribution pattern and its seasonal variations. The stoichoimetric ratios of As to P were estimated to be about 2×10^3 at PN Section in summer. The concentrations of dissolved arsenic in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea were comparable with other areas in the world.

Prediction of Petroleum Prospect in the South Yellow Sea Basin Using Satellite Remote Sensing

Using satellite remote sensing to measure the sea surface temperature of the East China Sea Shelf Basin can serve the purpose of predicting the petroleum prospect in the South Yellow Sea Basin. The satellite thermal infrared temperature anomaly area always repeats in the same position as the proved oil prospect area in the East China Sea Shelf Basin, and coincides well with both the CH4 content curve at the water-atmosphere interface and the seafloor geochemical anomaly. The sea surface temperature anomaly areas of the South Yellow Sea Basin in the satellite remote sensing image go banded along 123030, in the S-N direction, and naturally follow the aeromagnetically interpreted eastern nose-type uplift that shows a S-N strike. The north and south ends of the eastern nose are considered as good oil prospect areas because temperature anomaly often occurs there.

Biomarker Records of Phytoplankton Productivity and Community Structure Changes in the Central Yellow Sea Mud Area During the Mid-Late Holocene

The Yellow Sea （YS） environmental and ecological changes during the Holocene are driven by the interactions between the Yellow Sea Warm Current （YSWC）, the East Asian Winter Monsoon （EAWM） and the Kuroshio Current （KC）. We report marine biomarker records of brassicasterol, dinosterol and C37 alkenones in core ZY1 and core ZY2 from the South Yellow Sea （SYS） to reconstruct the spatial/temporal variations and possible mechanisms of phytoplankton primary productivity and community structure changes during the Mid-late Holocene. The contents of the corresponding biomarkers in the two cores are similar, and they also reveal broadly similar temporal trends. From 6kyr to 3kyr, the biomarker contents in the two cores were relatively low with small oscillations, followed by a distinct increase at about 3 kyr indicating productivity increases caused by a stronger EAWM. The alkenone/brassicasterol ratio （A/B） is used as a community structure proxy, which also showed higher values in both cores since 3 kyr, indicating increased haptophyte contribution to total productivity. It is proposed that the YS community structure has been mainly influenced by the YSWC, with stronger YSWC influences causing an increase in haptophyte contribution since 3 kyr. Some differences of the biomarker records between ZY2 and ZYI suggest spatial variations in response to YSWC and KC forcing. When the KC was intensified during the periods of 6-4.2kyr and 1.7-0kyr, the YSWC extended eastward, exerting more influence on core ZY1. On the other hand, when the KC weakened during 4.2-1.7 kyr, the YSWC extended westward, exerting more influence on the ZY2.

The temporal and spatial variability of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass in the southeastern Yellow Sea, 2009–2011

The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass （YSCWM） is one of the important water mass in the Yellow Sea （YS）. It is distributed in the lower layer in the Yellow Sea central trough with the temperature less than 10℃ and the salinity lower than 33.0. To understand the variability of the YSCWM, the hydrographic data obtained in April and August during 2009-2011 are analyzed in the southeastern Yellow Sea. In August 2011, relatively warm and saline water compared with that in 2009 and 2010 was detected in the lower layer in the Yellow Sea central area. Although the typhoon passed before the cruise, the salinity in the Yellow Sea central trough is much higher than the previous season. It means that the saline event cannot be explained by the typhoon but only by the intrusion of saline water during the previous winter. In April 2011, actually, warm and saline water （T 〉 10~C, S 〉34） was observed in the deepest water depth of the southeastern area of the Yellow Sea. The wind data show that the northerly wind in 2011 winter is stronger than in 2009 and 2010 winter season. The strong northerly wind can trigger the intrusion of warm and saline Yellow Sea Warm Current. Therefore, it is proposed that the strong northerly wind in winter season leads to the intrusion of the Yellow Sea Warm Current into the Yellow Sea central trough and influenced a variability of the YSCWM in summer.

Seasonal variability of the zooplankton community in the southwest of the Huanghai Sea (Yellow Sea) Cold Water Mass

Samples were collected with a plankton net in the four seasonal cruises during 2006-2007 to study the seasonal variability of the zooplankton community in the southwest part of Huanghai Sea Cold Water Mass （HSCWM, Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass）. The spatial and temporal variations of zooplankton species composition, biomass, abundance and biodiversity were examined. A total of 122 zooplankton species and 30 pelagic larvae were identified in the four cruises. Calanus sinicus and Aidanosagitta crassa were the most dominant species, and Themisto gaudichaudi and Euphau- sia pacifica were widely distributed in the HSCWM area. The spatial patterns of non-gelatinous zooplankton （removing the high water content groups） were similar to those of the total zooplank- ton biomass in autumn, but different significantly in the other three seasons. The seasonal means of zooplankton biomass in spring and summer were much higher than that in autumn and win- ter. The total zooplankton abundance averaged 283.5 ind./m3 in spring （highest）, 192.5 ind./m3 in summer, 165.5 ind./m3 in autumn and 65.9 ind./m3 in winter （lowest）, and the non-gelatinous groups contributed the most total abundance. Correlation analysis suggests that the non-gelatinous zooplankton biomass and abundance had a significant positive correlation in the whole year, but the relationship was insignificant between the total zooplankton biomass and abundance in spring and summer. The diversity index HI of zooplankton community averaged 1.88 in this study, which was somewhat higher than historical results. Relatively low diversity in summer was related to the high dominance of Calanus sinicus, probably due to the strongest effect of the HSCWM in this season.

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton phosphorus stress in the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass

The Yellow Sea is located between the China Mainland and the Korean Peninsula, representing a typical shallow epicontinental sea. The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass（YSCWM） is one of the most important physical features in the Yellow Sea. The characteristics of vertical profiles and seasonal variations of biogenic elements in the YSCWM may lead the variations of nutrient availability（e.g., phosphorus） and phosphorus stress of phytoplankton. In this study, the authors surveyed the seasonal variations of phytoplankton phosphorus stress with emphasis on the effect of the YSCWM during the four cruises in April and October 2006, March and August 2007. Using both bulk and single-cell alkaline phosphatase activity（APA） assays, this study evaluated phosphorus status of phytoplankton community, succession of phytoplankton community and ecophysiological responses of phytoplankton to phosphorus in the typical region of the YSCWM. With the occurrence of the YSCWM, especially the variations of concentration of dissolved inorganic phosphorus（DIP）, the results of bulk APA appeared corresponding seasonal variations. Along Transects A and B, the mean APA in August was the highest, and that in March was the lowest. According to the ELF-labeled assay＇s results, seasonal variations of the ELF-labeled percentages within dominant species indicated that diatoms were dominant in March, April and October, while dinoflagellates were dominant in August. During the four cruises, the ELF-labeled percentages of diatoms except Paralia sulcata showed that diatoms were not phosphorus deficient in April 2006 at all, but suffered from severe phosphorus stress in August 2007. In comparison, the ELF-labeled percentages of dinoflagellates were all above 50% during the four time series, which meant dinoflagellates such as Alexandrium and Scrippsiella, sustained perennial phosphorus stress.