Geochemical identification of a source rock affected by migrated hydrocarbons and its geological significance:Fengcheng Formation,southern Mahu Sag,Junggar Basin,NW China

The Fengcheng Formation is a crucial source rock and the primary reservoir for oil accumulation in the Mahu Sag.Crude oils are distributed throughout the Fengcheng Formation,ranging from the edge to the interior of the sag in the southern Mahu Sag.These crude oils originate from in-situ source rocks in shallowly buried areas and the inner deep sag.During migration,the crude oil from the inner deep sag affects the source rocks close to carrier beds,leading to changes in the organic geochemical characteristics of the source rocks.These changes might alter source rock evaluations and oil-source correlation.Based on data such as total organic carbon(TOC),Rock-Eval pyrolysis of source rocks,and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)of the saturated fraction,and considering the geological characteristics of the study area,we define the identification characteristics of source rock affected by migrated hydrocarbons and establish the various patterns of influence that migrated hydrocarbons have on the source rock of the Fengcheng Formation in the southern Mahu Sag.The source rocks of the Fengcheng Formation are mostly fair to good,containing mainly Type II organic matter and being thermally mature enough to generate oil.Source rocks affected by migrated hydrocarbons exhibit relatively high hydrocarbon contents(S1/TOC>110 mg HC/g TOC,Extract/TOC>30%,HC:hydrocarbon),relatively low Rock-Eval Tmax values,and relatively high tricyclic terpane contents with a descending and mountain-shaped distribution.Furthermore,biomarker composition parameters indicate a higher thermal maturity than in-situ source rocks.Through a comparison of the extract biomarker fingerprints of adjacent reservoirs and mudstones in different boreholes,three types of influence patterns of migrated hydrocarbons are identified:the edge-influence of thin sandstone-thick mudstone,the mixed-influence of sandstone-mudstone interbedded,and the full-influence of thick sandstone-thin mudstone.This finding reminds us that the influence of migrated hydrocarbons must be considered when evaluating source rocks and conducting oil-source correlation.

A Brief Discussion on the Development of the Silk-Weaving Industry Along the “Southern Silk Road” in Yunnan

Ancient Yunnan was one of the most significant regions along China’s ancient“Southern Silk Road.”During the Nanzhao period(738–902)of the late Tang Dynasty,Yunnan’s silk-weaving industry underwent a qualitative leap as skilled silk craftsmen from the Bashu area migrated to Yunnan and introduced mulberry planting,silkworm breeding,and advanced silk-weaving techniques from Sichuan to the region.Consequently,people in Yunnan gradually acquired expertise in brocade weaving and embroidery.Many even mastered complex silk-weaving techniques.The development and progress of the silk-weaving industry in the ancient Yunnan region were intricately linked to the economic function and value of silk as both a commodity and currency along the“Southern Silk Road.”The local government in ancient Yunnan was greatly motivated by the economic interests brought by the development of silk-related industries and recognized the significance of developing the local silk industry.They even initiated a campaign to capture skilled silk craftsmen from Sichuan,aiming to foster the growth of the silk-weaving industry in Yunnan.After years of dedicated efforts from the local government in ancient Yunnan,the region emerged as a significant hub for silk production along China’s ancient“Southern Silk Road.”Despite the devastation caused by the wars in other parts of the country,Yunnan’s silk industry continued to thrive and provide ample silk products to sustain trade along this renowned route.In the contemporary era,amidst the decline of the silk-weaving industry in eastern China,Yunnan has proposed an industrial development strategy known as“relocating the silk-weaving industry from east to west.”This involves introducing advanced silk production techniques from the eastern regions into Yunnan to enhance and enrich its local silk industry,thereby establishing it as a traditional national sector and securing a competitive position within the global silk market.The historical experience of Yunnan’s silk industry demonstrated that economic development opportunities can only be seized through proactive endeavors rather than passive anticipation.The modern Yunnan silk industry,which upholds its historical traditions,continues to actively engage in international high-end technical cooperation,thus ensuring the enduring vitality of the ancient“Southern Silk Road.”

Differences in spring precipitation over southern China associated with multiyear La Ni?a events

Composite analyses were performed in this study to reveal the difference in spring precipitation over southern China during multiyear La Ni?a events during 1901 to 2015. It was found that there is significantly below-normal precipitation during the first boreal spring, but above-normal precipitation during the second year. The difference in spring precipitation over southern China is correlative to the variation in western North Pacific anomalous cyclone(WNPC), which can in turn be attributed to the different sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) over the Tropical Pacific. The remote forcing of negative SSTA in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific and the local air-sea interaction in the western North Pacific are the usual causes of WNPC formation and maintenance.SSTA in the first spring is stronger than those in the second spring. As a result, the intensity of WNPC in the first year is stronger, which is more likely to reduce the moisture in southern China by changing the moisture transport, leading to prolonged precipitation deficits over southern China. However, the tropical SSTA signals in the second year are too weak to induce the formation and maintenance of WNPC and the below-normal precipitation over southern China. Thus, the variation in tropical SSTA signals between two consecutive springs during multiyear La Ni?a events leads to obvious differences in the spatial pattern of precipitation anomaly in southern China by causing the different WNPC response.

Alleviated photoinhibition on nitrification in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean

Nitrification,a central process in the marine nitrogen cycle,produces regenerated nitrate in the euphotic zone and emits N_(2)O,a potent greenhouse gas as a by-product.The regulatory mechanisms of nitrification in the Southern Ocean,which is a critical region for CO_(2)sequestration and radiative benefits,remain poorly understood.Here,we investigated the in situ and dark nitrification rates in the upper 500 m and conducted substrate kinetics experiments across the Indian Sector in the Cosmonaut and Cooperation seas in the late austral summer.Our findings indicate that light inhibition of nitrification decreases exponentially with depth,exhibiting a light threshold of 0.53%photosynthetically active radiation.A positive relationship between dark nitrification and apparent oxygen utilization suggests a dependence on substrate availability from primary production.Importantly,an increased NH_(4)^(+) supply can act as a buffer against photo-inhibitory damage.Globally,substrate affinity(α)increases with depth and transitions from light to dark,decreases with increasing ambient NH_(4)^(+)and exhibits a latitudinal distribution,reflecting substrate utilization strategies.We also reveal that upwelling in Circumpolar Deep Water(CDW)stimulates nitrification through the introduction of potentially higher iron and deep diverse nitrifying microorganisms with higherα.We conclude that although light is the primary limiting factor for nitrification in summer,coupling between substrate availability and CDW upwelling can overcome this limitation,thereby alleviating photoinhibition by up to 45%±5.3%.

Responses of the Southern Ocean mixed layer depth to the eastern and central Pacific El Niño events during austral winter

Based on the Ocean Reanalysis System version 5(ORAS5)and the fifth-generation reanalysis datasets derived from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ERA5),we investigate the different impacts of the central Pacific(CP)El Niño and the eastern Pacific(EP)El Niño on the Southern Ocean(SO)mixed layer depth(MLD)during austral winter.The MLD response to the EP El Niño shows a dipole pattern in the South Pacific,namely the MLD dipole,which is the leading El Niño-induced MLD variability in the SO.The tropical Pacific warm sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA)signal associated with the EP El Niño excites a Rossby wave train propagating southeastward and then enhances the Amundsen Sea low(ASL).This results in an anomalous cyclone over the Amundsen Sea.As a result,the anomalous southerly wind to the west of this anomalous cyclone advects colder and drier air into the southeast of New Zealand,leading to surface cooling through less total surface heat flux,especially surface sensible heat(SH)flux and latent heat(LH)flux,and thus contributing to the mix layer(ML)deepening.The east of the anomalous cyclone brings warmer and wetter air to the southwest of Chile,but the total heat flux anomaly shows no significant change.The warm air promotes the sea ice melting and maintains fresh water,which strengthens stratification.This results in a shallower MLD.During the CP El Niño,the response of MLD shows a separate negative MLD anomaly center in the central South Pacific.The Rossby wave train triggered by the warm SSTA in the central Pacific Ocean spreads to the Amundsen Sea,which weakens the ASL.Therefore,the anomalous anticyclone dominates the Amundsen Sea.Consequently,the anomalous northerly wind to the west of anomalous anticyclone advects warmer and wetter air into the central and southern Pacific,causing surface warming through increased SH,LH,and longwave radiation flux,and thus contributing to the ML shoaling.However,to the east of the anomalous anticyclone,there is no statistically significant impact on the MLD.

Pattern of Referral of Obstetric Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Nigeria

Background: Health challenges that are difficult to manage at primary health centres should be referred to secondary health facilities, and if untreated, to the tertiary hospitals. A good referral should include the patient’s biography, such as age, gender, tribe, religion, occupation, medical history, the reason for the referral, treatments received, and clinical diagnosis. Objectives: To evaluate the referral patterns, indications for referrals, and feto-maternal outcomes for obstetric patients who were referred to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of patients admitted to the Obstetric unit from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. Data was collected from patients while on admission or clinic visits and recorded in an excel spread sheet. Data was analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Results: Of the 3469 patients were admitted to the obstetric unit, 1476 and 1993 were admitted in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Most (70.35%) of the patients were in the 20-34 years age group, parity 1-4 was the most frequent (66.49%), while 85.39% of patients were booked. 10.46% of the booked patients were referred from other facilities, whereas 89.54% of patients were booked at our facility from the onset. Most common indications of referrals were previous caesarean section (CS) at term (40.09%) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (17.59%). The outcome for 2021 indicated 17 maternal deaths, 132 fetal deaths and 1010 live births, giving maternal mortality ratio (MMR) as 1810.44 per 100,000 live births and perinatal mortality ratio (PMR) of 130.7 per 1000 births respectively. In 2022, there were 17 maternal deaths, 130 fetal deaths and 1297 deliveries, giving a MMR of 1399 per 100,000 live births and a PMR of 100.2 per 1000 births. Conclusion: The pattern of referral among obstetric patients in this study shows that a lot of the patients do not get adequate care at the lower cadre of the referral system, hence adequate facilities should be made available in primary and secondary health centres to tackle obstetric emergencies.

Influence of mixed layer depth on chlorophyll-a concentration in the Southern Ocean

The element iron limitation is one of the crucial factors contributing to high nutrient low chlorophyll in the Southern Ocean(SO).Mixed layer dynamics regulate the availability of iron to phytoplankton.In this paper,we investigate the influence of surface iron supplementation triggered by the mixed layer depth(MLD)variation on chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration in the SO on seasonal and interannual timescales.This analysis is based on the Biogeochemical Southern Ocean State Estimate for the period from 2013 to 2021.We provide a comprehensive and systematic mapping of the regions within the SO,where Chl-a is affected by iron input related to MLD deepening.The relationship between the MLD and the Chl-a varies with the latitude on the seasonal time scale.Both the MLD and sea ice melting affect the distribution of Chl-a.On the interannual scale,iron supply due to MLD deepening occurs primarily north of 60°S.Horizontal advection-induced entrainment enhances the surface iron input during the austral summer,which favors Chl-a increase.In addition to the MLD,the melting of sea ice and cooling of the sea surface can also alter iron input and subsequently affect Chl-a distribution in the austral summer.During the austral winter,entrainment can boost iron stocks,stimulating a subsequent spring increase of Chl-a in the SO.Furthermore,sea surface temperature declines during the austral winter,promoting an increased iron supply and creating favorable conditions for the subsequent spring Chl-a increase in the SO.

Cu-Zn isotope compositions of hydrothermal sediments from the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge:implications to the sediment formation and mineral exploration

Six hydrothermal sediment samples were collected from the Xunmei and Tongguan hydrothermal fields along the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge during the China Ocean Cruise DY46 in 2017.Sulfides and oxides in the samples were separated,and Cu and Zn isotope compositions were analyzed.Results show that the ranges ofδ^(65)Cu values of the bulk sediments,sulfides,and oxides were 0.36‰-2.46‰,-0.21‰-1.10‰,and 0.68‰-1.52‰,respectively.Theδ^(65)Cu values of sulfides in four samples(46II-14,46II-30,46III-06,and 46II-09)were relatively low(-0.21‰-0.50‰),corresponding to theδ^(65)Cu values of sulfides from inactive old hydrothermal chimneys in northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge(n MAR),suggesting that the sulfides in the sediments were originated from collapsed dead chimney mainly.While theδ^(65)Cu values of the other two samples(46III-02 and 46III-08)were relatively high(1.10‰-0.96‰),corresponding to theδ^(65)Cu values for active hydrothermal chimneys sulfides in n MAR,which indicated that the sulfides in these two samples might mainly come from sulfide particles settled from active hydrothermal plume.Because of the high density of sulfide particles,they tended to settle near the hydrothermal vents first.Therefore,highδ^(65)Cu values of sulfides in 46III-02 and 46III-08 implied that undiscovered active hydrothermal vents near the sampling positions of 46III-02 in the Xunmei hydrothermal field and 46III-08 in the Tongguan hydrothermal field.Theδ^(66)Zn values of hydrothermal sediments and sulfides ranged 0.11‰-0.43‰and 0.29‰-0.67‰,respectively.In the four samples from the Xunmei hydrothermal field,a positive correlation was found between the distance of the sampling position from sulfide mineralized spot and the Zn isotopic ratio,showing that the greater the distance from the mineralized spot,the heavier the Zn isotope composition as seen in two samples(46II-30 and 46II-14)of the Xunmei-3 spot.This result aligned with the findings of Wilkinson et al.(2005)and Baumgartner et al.(2023),suggesting that the lower the Zn isotope composition,the closer it is to the hydrothermal vent.However,in the Xunmei hydrothermal field,the Zn isotope composition in the other two samples(46III-02and 46III-06)showed the opposite trend.This indicated that there might be an active hydrothermal vent near the sampling location of sample 46III-02.This observation aligned with the Cu isotope analysis results.This study showed that Cu-Zn isotopes are good indicators for understanding the formation mechanisms of hydrothermal sediments and for locating active hydrothermal vents.

Elemental Compositions of Clinopyroxenes from Southern Okinawa Trough Basalt:Implications for Magmatism and Structural Environment in an Initial Back-Arc Basin

The major and trace elemental compositions of clinopyroxene from basalt were used to characterize the nature of the primitive magma and structural environment beneath the southern Okinawa Trough(SOT),which is an initial back-arc basin at a continental margin.The clinopyroxenes in the basalt were augite with variable Mg^(#)contents(73.37-78.22).The regular variations in major oxide contents(i.e.,CaO,FeO,TiO_(2),and Cr)with decreasing Mg#implied that the clinopyroxenes evolved from being enriched in Mg,Ca,and Cr to being enriched in Fe and Ti.The clinopyroxenes had relatively low rare earth element concentrations(7.51×10^(-6) to 12.68×10^(-6))and negative Eu anomalies(δEu=0.67-0.95).The Kd_(cpx) values of clinopyroxenes(0.2-0.26),which were used to examine whether the clinopyroxene was equilibrated with its host basalt,demonstrate that these clinopyroxene phenocrysts were not captured crystals but were instead produced by crystallization differentiation of the magma.The calculated clinopyroxene crystallization temperatures showed a narrow range of 990-1061℃,and their crystallization pressures ranged from 2.0 to 3.2 kbar.The geochemistry features of these clinopyroxenes indicated that the parent magma belonged to the subalkaline tholeiitic magma series and suggested that the magma experienced crystallization differentiation of olivine,plagioclase,and clinopyroxene,where the crystallization of plagioclase occurred earlier than that of clinopyroxene.Combined with geophysical data,this research on primitive magma and its crystallization differentiation from clinopyroxene indicates that the SOT is in the stage of‘seafloor spreading’and that basaltic rocks produced from tholeiitic magma represent the generation of oceanic crust.

Changing Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Survival in Southern China during 2000-2015: Results of a Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: Around 50% of new nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cases come from China. The present study aimed to update the surveillance of NPC survival in southern China, and investigate the survival disparities between sexes within this patient population. Methods: Patients diagnosed with primary and invasive NPC between 2000 and 2015 were included in this study. Data on demographics, diagnosis, and follow-up to December 2020 were collected. Patients were stratified by diagnosis period, sex, and age at diagnosis. Survival analysis employed cohort and Life Table methods, Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and Cox regression. Results: The study included 32,901 patients, of whom 69.6% were males. The overall 5-year survival rate rose from 69.6% in 2000-2003 to 83.3% in 2013-2015, with a consistent average increase of 3.3% every 3 years. For males, the 5-year survival rate increased from 66.3% to 82.0%, faster than females. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a significantly higher survival rate for females than males, and subgroup analysis confirmed this advantage. The Cox proportional hazards model confirmed the lower mortality risk for females (HR 0.75, 95% CI: 0.71 - 0.78), patients with younger ages at diagnosis, and patients diagnosed in more recent years (All P Conclusions: The 5-year survival rate for NPC patients in southern China has significantly and steadily improved from 2000 to 2015, indicating the improved quality of cancer care in China. The survival advantage of female patients is not limited to younger patients but is also observed in postmenopausal patients, despite the gradual narrowing of the gender gap.

Changes in Sediment Sources in the Southern Muddy Area of Weihai,China,Since the Late Pleistocene:A Record from Rare Earth Elements

The small muddy areas developed in the southern Shandong Peninsula have attracted increasing attention from researchers because of complex changes in sediment sources driven by sea-level fluctuations and land-sea interactions since the late Pleistocene.This study investigates the evolution of sediment sources and their responses to environmental changes since the late Pleistocene,using core WHZK01 collected from the nearshore muddy area in southern Weihai for rare earth element(REE)analysis.In doing so,this work highlights the changing patterns of material sources and the primary control factors.The results reveal that the sedimentary deposits in core WHZK01 exhibit distinct terrestrial characteristics.Discriminant function analysis(F_(D))and source discrimination dia-grams both suggest that the primary sources of these deposits are the Yellow River and adjacent small and medium-sized rivers,although the sources vary among different sedimentary units.Furthermore,the DU3 layer(17.82-25.10 m)displays typical riverine sedimentation,dominated by terrestrial detrital input,primarily from the local rivers,namely the Huanglei and Muzhu Rivers.The material in the DU2 layer(14.91-17.82 m)is mainly influenced by a mixture of the Qinglong and Yellow Rivers.The DU1 layer(0-14.91 m)is influenced by sea-level changes during the Holocene,with the Yellow River being the primary source,although there is also some input from local rivers.The changes in sea level during the Holocene and the input of Yellow River material carried by the coastal currents of the Yellow Sea are identified as the main controlling factors for the changes in material sources in the study area since the late Pleistocene,with small and mediumsized rivers also exerting some influence on the material sources.The above mentioned findings not only contribute to a better understanding of the source-sink systems of the Yellow River and adjacent small and mediumsized rivers but also deepen our understanding of the late Quaternary land-sea interactions in the Shandong Peninsula.

Garnet and Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Geochemistry Reveal Genesis of the Dafang Au-Pb-Zn-Ag Deposit,Southern Hunan

Garnet is a primary mineral in skarn deposits and plays a significant role in recording copious mineralization and metallogenic information.This study systematically investigates the geochemistry and geochronology of garnet and zircon in the Dafang Au-Pb-Zn-Ag deposit,which represents prominent gold mineralization in southern Hunan,China.Garnet samples with distinct zoning patterns and compositional variations were identified using various analytical techniques,including Backscattered Electron(BSE)imaging,Cathodoluminescence(CL)response,textural characterization,and analysis of rare-earth elements(REE),major contents,and trace element compositions.The garnet was dated U-Pb dating,which yielded a lower intercept age of 161.06±1.93 Ma.This age is older than the underlying granodiorite porphyry,which has a concordia age of 155.13±0.95 Ma determined by zircon U-Pb dating.These results suggest that the gold mineralization may be related to the concealed granite.Two groups of garnet changed from depleted Al garnet to enriched Al garnet,and the rare earth element(REE)patterns of these groups were converted from light REE(LREE)-enriched and heavy REE(HREE)-depleted with positive europium(Eu)anomalies to medium REE(MREE)-enriched from core to rim zoning.The different REE patterns of garnet in various zones may be attributed to changes in the fluid environment and late superposition alteration.The development of distal skarn in the southern Hunan could be a significant indicator for identifying gold mineralization.

Southern Hemisphere Volcanism Triggered Multi-year La Niñas during the Last Millennium

To explain the recent three-year La Niña event from 2020 to 2022,which has caused catastrophic weather events worldwide,Fasullo et al.(2023)demonstrated that the increase in biomass aerosol resulting from the 2019-20 Australian wildfire season could have triggered this multi-year La Niña.Here,we present compelling evidence from paleo-proxies,utilizing a substantial sample size of 26 volcanic eruptions in the Southern Hemisphere(SH),to support the hypothesis that ocean cooling in the SH can lead to a multi-year La Niña event.This research highlights the importance of focusing on the Southern Ocean,as current climate models struggle to accurately simulate the Pacific response driven by the Southern Ocean.

Distribution of Atmospheric Pollution in Southern Benin

This study focuses on air quality in southern Benin in order to show public authorities what the Beninese populations are exposed to for efficient decision-making. Two sampling campaigns were carried out, one in the wet period and the other in the dry season. The measurements were taken using a monitor called an “Air Quality Monitor”. For data processing, the multiple comparison methods of Dun (1961) and the Wilcoxon test were used. To maintain legitimacy, all spatial data were included in the official cartographic repository of Benin: WGS 1984, Transverse Mercator Universe Projection (UTM), Zone 31 North. The Moran statistic was used to measure the levels of spatial autocorrelation of the variables studied and to test the significance. In order to locate the spatial subsets, the local spatial association indices of Anselin Local Moran and Getis-Ord, Gi* were used. In terms of results, on the 13 monitoring sites and the 8 parameters chosen to determine air quality, we do not note any significant inter-seasonal difference. Of the eight parameters, only three parameters present spatial autocorrelation leading to predictions of ambient air quality over the entire study area based on the distance separating the points, namely, PM2.5, PM10 and ambient air quality index (AQI). The localities affected by atmospheric pollution in South Benin are located in the south-western part of Benin, headed by Cotonou, which is heavily polluted by CO2, TCOV, PM10 and PM2.5.

Struggle zone: alpine shrubs are limited in the Southern Urals by an advancing treeline and insufficient snow depth

In recent decades,the rapid climate warming in polar and alpine regions has been accompanied by an expan-sion of shrub vegetation.However,little is known about how changes in shrub distribution will change as the distribution of tree species and snow cover changes as temperatures rise.In this work,we analyzed the main environmental factors influencing the distribution and structure of Juniperus sibir-ica,the most common shrub species in the Southern Ural Mountains.Using mapping and digital elevation models,we demonstrated that J.sibirica forms a well-defined vegeta-tion belt mainly between 1100 and 1400 m a.s.l.Within this zone,the abundance and cover of J.sibirica are influenced by factors such as rockiness,slope steepness,water regime and tree(Picea obovata)cover.An analysis of data spanning the past 9 years revealed an upward shift in the distribution of J.sibirica with a decrease in its area.The primary limit-ing factors for the distribution of J.sibirica were the removal of snow cover by strong winter winds and competition with trees.As a consequence of climatic changes,the tree line and forest limit have shifted upward,further restricting the distribution of J.sibirica to higher elevations where com-petition for light with trees is reduced and snow cover is sufficiently deep.

Evaluation of Human Impacts on Bartlett Pond Ecosystem, Laredo, Southern Texas, USA, through Empirical Modeling

The trace elements chemistry of Bartlett Pond, a small shallow wetland pond in Laredo, Southern Texas, was sampled to evaluate the dynamics of trace elements impacts on water quality and ecosystems ecology of the pond. Two types of fish (bass and tilapia) were also sampled to see the trace element accumulation in different parts of their body. The concentrations of trace elements in water samples were found in the following order: Fe ≫Sb > Pb > As ≫Co > Tl > Cr > Cd within Bartlett Pond. Overall, the water quality of the pond is unacceptable for drinking and any other purposes as trace element concentrations (e.g. As, Cd, Co, Cr, Pb, Fe, Sb and Tl) are exceedingly higher (several fold) than the WHO and US EPA guidelines. Predictive and correlation analysis shows that most trace elements exhibit a strong positive correlation among them indicating the same anthropogenic sources and biogeochemical processes regulate these trace elements within the pond. Distributions of the trace elements in water exhibit different shapes mostly as positively skewed distribution for As, Cd, Co, Cr, and Tl, symmetrical distribution for Fe and almost symmetrical distribution for Pb and Sb. Concentrations of As, Co and Tl accumulated much higher in different parts of the Bass than Tilapia fish. The concentrations of As, Tl, Co, and Sb appeared significantly higher in different parts of the body of both Bass and Tilapia than the maximum SRM certified values. Accumulation of these contaminants in fish tissues pose increased health risks to humans who consume these contaminated fish although fishing is prohibited. Anthropogenic activities in the region primarily degrade the whole pond ecosystem ecology of the Bartlett Pond and waters of this pond to be not recommended for any use. These findings may be useful for the scientific community and concerned authorities to improve understanding about these precious natural resources and conservation of the ecosystem ecology.

Impacts of Ice-Ocean Stress on the Subpolar Southern Ocean:Role of the Ocean Surface Current

The mechanical influences involved in the interaction between the Antarctic sea ice and ocean surface current(OSC)on the subpolar Southern Ocean have been systematically investigated for the first time by conducting two simulations that include and exclude the OSC in the calculation of the ice-ocean stress(IOS), using an eddy-permitting coupled ocean-sea ice global model. By comparing the results of these two experiments, significant increases of 5%, 27%, and 24%, were found in the subpolar Southern Ocean when excluding the OSC in the IOS calculation for the ocean surface stress,upwelling, and downwelling, respectively. Excluding the OSC in the IOS calculation also visibly strengthens the total mechanical energy input to the OSC by about 16%, and increases the eddy kinetic energy and mean kinetic energy by about38% and 12%, respectively. Moreover, the response of the meridional overturning circulation in the Southern Ocean yields respective increases of about 16% and 15% for the upper and lower branches;and the subpolar gyres are also found to considerably intensify, by about 12%, 11%, and 11% in the Weddell Gyre, the Ross Gyre, and the Australian-Antarctic Gyre, respectively. The strengthened ocean circulations and Ekman pumping result in a warmer sea surface temperature(SST), and hence an incremental surface heat loss. The increased sea ice drift and warm SST lead to an expansion of the sea ice area and a reduction of sea ice volume. These results emphasize the importance of OSCs in the air-sea-ice interactions on the global ocean circulations and the mass balance of Antarctic ice shelves, and this component may become more significant as the rapid change of Antarctic sea ice.

The connection of phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya of the western Antarctic Peninsula to the Southern Annular Mode

Antarctic coastal polynyas are biological hotspots in the Southern Ocean that support the abundance of hightrophic-level predators and are important for carbon cycling in the high-latitude oceans.In this study,we examined the interannual variation of summertime phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya(MBP)in the western Antarctic Peninsula area,and linked such variability to the Southern Annular Mode(SAM)that dominated the southern hemisphere extratropical climate variability.Combining satellite data,atmosphere reanalysis products and numerical simulations,we found that the interannual variation of summer chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration in the MBP is significantly and negatively correlated with the spring SAM index,and weakly correlated with the summer SAM index.The negative relation between summer Chl-a and spring SAM is due to weaker spring vertical mixing under a more positive SAM condition,which would inhibit the supply of iron from deep layers into the surface euphotic layer.The negative relation between spring mixing and spring SAM results from greater precipitation rate over the MBP region in positive SAM phase,which leads to lower salinity in the ocean surface layer.The coupled physical-biological mechanisms between SAM and phytoplankton biomass revealed in this study is important for us to predict the future variations of phytoplankton biomasses in Antarctic polynyas under climate change.

Quantifying the Role of the Eddy Transfer Coefficient in Simulating the Response of the Southern Ocean Meridional Overturning Circulation to Enhanced Westerlies in a Coarse-resolution Model

This study assesses the capability of a coarse-resolution ocean model to replicate the response of the Southern Ocean Meridional Overturning Circulation(MOC) to intensified westerlies,focusing on the role of the eddy transfer coefficient(κ).κ is a parameter commonly used to represent the velocities induced by unresolved eddies.Our findings reveal that a stratification-dependent κ,incorporating spatiotemporal variability,leads to the most robust eddy-induced MOC response,capturing 82% of the reference eddy-resolving simulation.Decomposing the eddy-induced velocity into its vertical variation(VV) and spatial structure(SS) components unveils that the enhanced eddy compensation response primarily stems from an augmented SS term,while the introduced VV term weakens the response.Furthermore,the temporal variability of the stratification-dependent κ emerges as a key factor in enhancing the eddy compensation response to intensified westerlies.The experiment with stratification-dependent κ exhibits a more potent eddy compensation response compared to the constant κ,attributed to the structure of κ and the vertical variation of the density slope.These results underscore the critical role of accurately representing κ in capturing the response of the Southern Ocean MOC and emphasize the significance of the isopycnal slope in modulating the eddy compensation mechanism.

Assessment of the Southern Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Biases in CMIP5 and CMIP6 Models

This work evaluates the performances of climate models in simulating the Southern Ocean(SO)sea surface temperature(SST)by a large ensemble from phases 5 and 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP5 and CMIP6).By combining models from the same community sharing highly similar SO SST biases and eliminating the effect of global-mean biases on local SST biases,the results reveal that the ensemble-mean SO SST bias at 70°-30°S decreases from 0.38℃ in CMIP5 to 0.28℃ in CMIP6,together with increased intermodel consistency.The dominant mode of the intermodel variations in the zonal-mean SST biases is characterized as a meridional uniform warm bias pattern,explaining 79.1% of the intermodel variance and exhibiting positive principal values for most models.The ocean mixed layer heat budget further demonstrates that the SST biases at 70°-50°S primarily result from the excessive summertime heating effect from surface net heat flux.The biases in surface net heat flux south of 50°S are largely impacted by surface shortwave radiation from cloud and clear sky components at different latitudes.North of 50°S,the underestimated westerlies reduce the northward Ekman transport and hence northward cold advection in models,leading to warm SST biases year-round.In addition,the westerly biases are primarily traced back to the atmosphere-alone model simulations forced by the observed SST and sea ice.These results disclose the thermal origin at the high latitude and dynamical origin at the low latitude of the SO SST biases and underscore the significance of the deficiencies of atmospheric models in producing the SO SST biases.