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.

Carbon Storage Dynamics in Lower Shimentan Formation of the Qiantang Sag, East China Sea Shelf Basin: Stratigraphy, Reservoir ‒ Cap Analysis, and Source ‒ Sink Compatibility

Excessive carbon emissions have resulted in the greenhouse effect, causing considerable global climate change. Marine carbon storage has emerged as a crucial approach to addressing climate change. The Qiantang Sag(QTS) in the East China Sea Shelf Basin, characterized by its extensive area, thick sedimentary strata, and optimal depth, presents distinct geological advantages for carbon dioxide(CO_(2)) storage. Focusing on the lower section of the Shimentan Formation in the Upper Cretaceous of the QTS, this study integrates seismic interpretation and drilling data with core and thin-section analysis. We reveal the vertical variation characteristics of the strata by providing a detailed stratigraphic description. We use petrophysical data to reveal the development characteristics of high-quality carbon-storage layers and favorable reservoircaprock combinations, thereby evaluating the geological conditions for CO_(2) storage in various stratigraphic sections. We identify Layer B of the lower Shimentan Formation as the most advantageous stratum for marine CO_(2) storage. Furthermore, we analyze the carbon emission trends in the adjacent Yangtze River Delta region. Considering the characteristics of the source and sink areas, we suggest a strong correlation between the carbon emission sources of the Yangtze River Delta and the CO_(2) storage area of the QTS, making the latter a priority area for conducting experiments on marine CO_(2) storage.

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).

Sedimentary systems of the Oligocene Huagang Formation in the central anticline zone of the Xihu Depression,East China Sea Shelf Basin

The Xihu Depression is the largest hydrocarbon-bearing depression of the East China Sea Shelf Basin(also referred to as the ECSSB).However,the depositional systems and reservoir distribution of the Oligocene Huagang Formation in the Xihu Depression are still controversial.Under the guidance of sedimentology and stratigraphy,this study documented a marine-terrestrial transitional environment in the restricted bay setting of the Oligocene Huagang Formation through core description,well logging,and seismic data analysis.This study also revealed that the Oligocene Huagang Formation is dominated by tidal delta,estuary,and gravity flow deposits in the central anticline zone of the Xihu Depression.The new understanding of the sedimentary systems and the discovery of the transgressive gap in the eastern Diaoyu Islands uplift explain the origin of fine-grained sediments and the EW-trending sand bodies in the central depression and the sand bodies parallel to shoreline in the west slope belt,which cannot be explained by previous study results,such as southern transgression or fluvial deltas and even lacustrine deposition.Moreover,the tidal channels,tidal sand flats,and gravity flow sand bodies formed by the transgressive tides are high-quality reservoirs.The study will provide a basis for well placement and serve as guidance for the selection of favorable hydrocarbon exploration areas in the Xihu Depression.

Application of seismic sedimentology in characterization of fluvial-deltaic reservoirs in Xihu sag, East China Sea shelf basin

The fluvial-deltaic reservoirs of the Oligocene Huagang Formation in the Xihu sag of the East China Sea shelf basin reflect rapid lateral change in sedimentary facies and poor morphology of conventional slice attributes,which bring difficulties to the reservoir prediction for subsequent exploration and development of lithologic reservoirs.The traditional seismic sedimentology technology is optimized by applying the characteristic technologies such as frequency-boosting interpretation,inversion-conventional–90°phase shift joint construction of seismic lithologic bodies,nonlinear slices,paleogeomorphology restoration,and multi-attribute fusion,to obtain typical slice attributes,which are conducive to geological form description and sedimentary interpretation.The Huagang Formation developed three types of sedimentary bodies:braided river,meandering river and shallow water delta,and the vertical sedimentary evolution was controlled by the mid-term base-level cycle and paleogeomorphology.In the early–middle stage of the mid-term base-level ascending cycle,braided channel deposits were dominant,and vertical superimposed sand bodies were developed.In the late stage of the ascending half-cycle and the early stage of the descending half-cycle,meandering river deposits were dominant,and isolated sand bodies were developed.In the middle–late stage of the descending half-cycle,shallow-water delta deposits were dominant,and migratory medium–thick sand bodies were developed.Restricted paleogeomorphology controlled the sand body distribution,while non-restricted paleogeomorphology had little effect on the sand body distribution.Based on reservoir characterization,the fault sealing type and reservoir updip pinch-out type structural lithological traps are proposed as the main directions for future exploration and development in the Xihu sag.

Early Cenozoic paleontological assemblages and provenance evolution of the Lishui Sag,East China Sea

The East China Sea Shelf Basin generated a series of back-arc basins with thick successions of marine-and terrestrial-facies sediments during Cenozoic.It is enriched with abundant oil and gas resources and is of great significance to the petroleum exploration undertakings.Therein,the Lishui Sag formed fan delta,fluvial delta and littoral-to-neritic facies sediments during Paleocene–Eocene,and the research on its sedimentary environment and sediment source was controversial.This study analyzed the paleontological combination characteristics,and conducted a source-to-sink comparative analysis to restore the sedimentary environment and provenance evolution of the Lishui Sag during Paleocene–Eocene based on the integration of detrital zircon U-Pb age spectra patterns with paleontological assemblages.The results indicated that Lishui Sag was dominated by littoral and neritic-facies environment during time corroborated by large abundance of foraminifera,calcareous nannofossils and dinoflagellates.Chronological analysis of detrital zircon U-Pb revealed that there were significant differences in sediment sources between the east and west area of the Lishui Sag.The western area was featured by deeper water depths in the Paleocene–Eocene,and the sediment was characterized by a single Yanshanian peak of zircon U-Pb age spectra,and mainly influenced from Yanshanian magmatic rocks of South China Coast and the surrounding paleo-uplifts.However,its eastern area partly showed Indosinian populations.In particular,the upper Eocene Wenzhou sediments were featured by increasingly plentiful Precambrian zircons in addition to the large Indosinian-Yanshanian peaks,indicating a possible impact from the Yushan Low Uplift to the east.Therefore,it is likely that the eastern Lishui Sag generated large river systems as well as deltas during time.Due to the Yuquan Movement,the Lishui Sag experienced uplifting and exhumation in the late stage of the late Eocene and was not deposited with sediments until Miocene.Featured by transitional-facies depositions of Paleocene–Eocene,the Lishui Sag thus beared significant potential for source rock and oil-gas reservoir accumulation.

Tide-Induced Mixing in the Bottom Boundary Layer in the Western East China Sea

The East China Sea(ECS)boasts a vast continental shelf,where strong tidal motions play an important role in the substance transport and energy budget.In this study,the tide-induced mixing in the bottom boundary layer in the western ECS is analyzed based on records measured by moored acoustic Doppler current profilers from June to October 2014.Results show that the M_(2) tide is strong and shows a barotropic feature,whereas the O_(1) tide is much weaker.Based on the M_(2) tidal currents,the eddy viscosity in the bottom Ekman boundary layer is estimated with three schemes.The estimated eddy viscosity values vary within 10^(-4)–10^(-2)m^(2) s^(−1),reaching a maximum at approximately 5 m height from the bottom and decreasing exponentially with the height at all three stations.Moreover,the shear production of turbulent kinetic energy is calculated to quantify the mixing induced by different tidal constituents.The results show that the shear production of the M_(2) tide is much stronger than that of the O_(1) tide and shows a bottom intensified feature.

Origin of hydrocarbon fluids and discussion of abnormal carbon isotopic compositions in the Lishui-Jiaojiang Sag,East China Sea Shelf Basin

The hydrocarbon gases in the L1 gas field of the Lishui-Jiaojiang Sag have been commonly interpreted to be an accumulation of pure sapropelic-type thermogenic gas.In this study,chemical components,stable isotopic compositions,and light hydrocarbons were utilized to shed light on the origins of the hydrocarbon fluids in the L1gas pool.The hydrocarbon fluids in the L1 gas pool are proposed to be a mixture of three unique components:mid-maturity oil from the middle Paleocene coastal marine Lingfeng source rock,oil-associated(late oil window)gas generated from the lower Paleocene lacustrine Yueguifeng source rock,and primary microbial gas from the paralic deposits of the upper Paleocene Mingyuefeng source rock.Here,for the first time,the hydrocarbon gases in the L1 gas pool are diagnosed as mixed oil-associated sapropelic-type gas and microbial gas via four pieces of principal evidence:(1)The abnormal carbon isotopic distributions of all methane homologues from C_(1)(CH_(4)or methane)to C_(5)(C_(5)H_(12)or pentane)shown in the Chung plot;(2)the diagnostic~(13)C-depleted C_(1)compared with the thermogenic sapropelic-type gas model,whileδ^(13)C_(2)(C_(2)H_(6)or ethane)andδ^(13)C_(3)(C_(3)H_(8)or propane)both fit perfectly;(3)the excellent agreement of the calculated carbon isotopic compositions of the pure thermogenic gas with the results of the thermal simulated gas from the type-II1 kerogen-rich Yueguifeng source rock;and(4)the oil-associated gas inferred from various binary genetic diagrams with an abnormally elevated gas oil ratio.Overall,the natural gases of the L1 gas pool were quantified in this study to comprise approximately 13%microbial gas,nearly 48%oil-associated sapropelic-type gas,and 39%of nonhydrocarbon gas.The microbial gas is interpreted to have been codeposited and entrained in the humic-kerogen-rich Mingyuefeng Formation under favorable lowtemperature conditions during the late Paleocene-middle Eocene.The microbial gas subsequently leaked into the structurally and stratigraphically complex L1 trap with oil-associated sapropelic-type gas from the Yueguifeng source rock during the late Eocene-Oligocene uplifting event.A small amount of humic-kerogen-generated oil in the L1 gas pool is most likely to be derived from the underlying Lingfeng source rock.The detailed geological and geochemical considerations of source rocks are discussed to explain the accumulation history of hydrocarbon fluids in the L1 gas pool.This paper,therefore,represents an effort to increase the awareness of the pitfalls of various genetic diagrams,and an integrated geochemical and geological approach is required for hydrocarbonsource correlation.

Numerical Simulation of the Influence of Mean Sea Level Rise on Typhoon Storm Surge in the East China Sea

In this paper, ECOMSED （Estuarine Coastal Ocean Model with sediment transport） model is employed to simulate storm surge process caused by typhoon passing across East China Sea in nearly years. Capability of ECOMSED to simulate storm surge is validated by comparing model result with observed data. Sensitivity experiments are designed to study the influence of sea level rise on typhoon storm surge. Numerical experiment shows that influence of mean sea level rise on typhoon storm surge is non-uniform spatially and changes as typhoon process differs. Maybe fixed boundary method would weaken the influence of mean sea level rise on storm surge, and free boundary method is suggested for the succeeding study.

Simulation of the distribution,growth,and survival rate of chub mackerel larvae and juveniles in the East China Sea

In the East China Sea(ECS),chub mackerel Scomber japonicus constitutes an important coastal-pelagic fishery resource that is mainly exploited by Chinese,Japanese,and Korean light-purse seine fisheries.Because the early life history of chub mackerel plays a significant role in its recruitment,we developed an individual-based model to study the distribution,growth,and survival rate of chub mackerel larvae and juveniles in the ECS to improve our understanding of the chub mackerel population structure and recruitment.Our results show that as body length rapidly increases,the swimming capacity of chub mackerel larvae and juveniles improves quickly,and their spatial distribution depends more on their habitat conditions than the ocean currents.Correspondingly,the juveniles from the central and southern ECS spawning ground are scarcely recruited into the Japan/East Sea(JES)or the western Pacific Ocean,but a significant proportion of juveniles from the northern ECS spawning ground still enter the JES and there are exchanges between the stocks in the ECS and JES.Thus,it seems more reasonable to assess and manage the chub mackerels in the ECS and JES as a stock.The water temperature and ocean primary production in the ECS are two important factors influencing the chub mackerel habitat conditions and their spatial and temporal distribution are significantly different as the spawning time changes.Therefore,the spawning time and location play an important role in the growth and survival rate of the larvae and juveniles.Generally,when chub mackerel spawns at the southern ECS spawning ground in March,the larva and juvenile growth and survival rate is relatively high;as spawning time moves forward,higher growth and survival rates would be expected for the chub mackerel spawned coastward or northward.For specific spawning sites,early or delayed spawning will reduce the survival rate.

New interpretation on the provenance changes of the upper Pinghu–lower Huagang Formation within Xihu Depression,East China Sea Shelf Basin

Both Pinghu and Huagang formations are important hydrocarbon reservoirs of the Xihu Depression in the East China Sea Shelf Basin.Clarifying the source suppliers and restoring source-to-sink transport routes are of great significance to the future petroleum and gas undertakings.Previous researchers were largely confined by either limitation of geological records,highly dependence on a singular method or low-precision dating techniques.Our study integrated heavy mineral assemblages,geochemical analyses and detrital zircon U-Pb dating to reconstruct multiple source-to-sink pathways,and to provide a better understanding on the provenance evolution for the upper Pinghu–lower Huagang depositions of the Xihu Depression.At least three major provenances have been confirmed and systematically investigated for their separate compositional features.The Hupijiao Uplift(or even farther northern area)was dominated by a major Paleoproterozoic population peaked at ca.1830 Ma along with minor Mesozoic clusters.The Haijiao Uplift to the west and the Yushan Low Uplift to the southwest,on the other hand,generate opposite U-Pb age spectra with apparently larger peaks of Indosinian and Yanshanian-aged zircons.To be noted,both Indosinian and Paleoproterozoic peaks are almost identical in proportion for the Haijiao Uplift.The overall sedimentary pattern of late Eocene-early Oligocene was featured by both spatial and temporal distinction.The Hupijiao Uplift was likely to cast limited impact during the late Eocene,whereas the broad southern Xihu Depression was transported by a large abundance of materials from the nearby Haijiao and Yushan Low Uplifts.The northern source substantially extended its influence to the farther south during the early Oligocene by delivering plentiful sediments of higher-degree metamorphic parent rocks.Combined with the proximal western and southwestern suppliers,the overall Xihu Depression was under control from both distant and local provenances.

Response of environmental sensitive grain size group in Core FJ04 from mud area in the north of East China Sea to East Asian winter monsoon evolvement

AMS14C dating and grain-size analysis for Core FJ04, located at mud area in the North of East China Sea provide us a high-resolution grain-size distribution curve varying with depth and time. This paper got environmental sensitive grain-size group by using standard deviation method, and proved that the selected sensitive grain-size group is an important proxy which can be used to reconstruct intensity of East Asian Winter Monsoon （EAWM）. Then we got reconstruction of EAWM evolvement since 3 ka B.P., which revealed two main phases： （1） 3 - 1.15ka B.P., relative weak EAWM with middle frequency fluctuation; （2） 1.15 - 0ka B.P., really strong EAWM with high frequency fluctuation. And 1.15 ka B.P. is a distinct turning point. During the whole period, 11 intense events of EAWM were recorded and correlated well with other climate records, but the response extent was different, which showed consistency of climate change and particularity of region response.

Organic Carbon Deposition on the Inner Shelf of the East China Sea Constrained by Sea Level and Climatic Changes Since the Last Deglaciation

The East China Sea(ECS),which is located in the transitional zone between land and ocean,is the main site for the burial of sedimentary organic carbon.Despite good constraints of the modern source to the sinking process of organic carbon,its fate in response to changes in climate and sea level since the last deglaciation remains poorly understood.We aim to fill this gap by presenting a high-resolution sedimentary record of core EC2005 to derive a better understanding of the evolution of the depositional environment and its control on the organic deposition since 17.3 kyr.Our results suggest that sedimentary organic carbon was deposited in a terrestrial environment before the seawater reached the study area around 13.1 kyr.This significant transition from a terrestrial environment to a marine environment is reflected by the decrease in TOC/TN and TOC/TS ratios,which is attributed to deglacial sea level rise.The sea level continued to rise until it reached its highstand at approximately 7.3 kyr when the mud depocenter was developed.Our results further indicate that the deposition of the sedimentary organic carbon could respond quickly to abrupt cold events,including the Heinrich stadial 1 and the Younger Dryas during the last deglaciation,as well as‘Bond events'during the Holocene.We propose that the rapid response of the organic deposition to those cold events in the northern hemisphere is linked to the East Asian winter monsoon.These new findings demonstrate that organic carbon deposition and burial on the inner shelf could effectively document sea level and climatic changes.

Physical processes determining the distribution patterns of Nemopilema nomurai in the East China Sea

The giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai is the largest and most dangerous jellyfish species in East Asian waters,and the N.nomurai bloom causes serious problem in coastal industries,fisheries,and tourism.In the previous surveys,we found N.nomurai could not be observed in the south of 30°N.In this paper,we analyzed the mechanism of this phenomenon.After exploring the possible impacts of different environmental factors,we found that physical processes are essential to the distribution pattern of N.nomurai rather than biological or chemical factors in the East China Sea.The combination of the location of the initial breeding places of N.nomurai and the current system determine the distribution pattern.This study could provide important insights to the potential control of the giant jellyfish in the Chinese coastal waters.

Clay minerals and elemental composition of sediments on different sedimentary units in the northern East China Sea shelf:provenance tracing and genetic mechanism analysis

The composition,provenance,and genetic mechanism of sediment on different sedimentary units of the East China Sea(ECS)shelf are essential for understanding the depositional dynamics environment in the ECS.The sediments in the northern ECS shelf are distributed in a ring-shaped distribution centered on the southwestern Cheju Island Mud.From the inside to the outside,the grain size goes from fine to coarse.Aside from the“grain size effect”,hydrodynamic sorting and mineral composition are important restrictions on the content of rare earth elements(REEs).Based on the grain size,REEs,and clay mineral composition of 300 surface sediments,as well as the sedimentary genesis,the northern ECS shelf is divided into three geochemical zones:southwestern Cheju Island Mud Area(ZoneⅠ),Changjiang Shoal Sand Ridges(ZoneⅡ-1),Sand Ridges of the East China Sea shelf(ZoneⅡ-2).The northern ECS shelf is mostly impacted by Chinese mainland rivers(the Changjiang River and Huanghe River),and the provenance and transport mechanism of sediments of different grain sizes is diverse.The bulk sediments come primarily from the Changjiang River,with some material from the Huanghe River carried by the Yellow Sea Coastal Current and the North Jiangsu Coastal Current,and less from Korean rivers.Among them,surface sediments in the southwestern Cheju Island Mud Area(ZoneⅠ)come mostly from the Changjiang River and partly from the Huanghe River.It was formed by the counterclockwise rotating cold eddies in the northern ECS shelf,which caused the sedimentation and accumulation of the fine-grained sediments of the Changjiang River and the Huanghe River.The Changjiang Shoal Sand Ridges(ZoneⅡ-1)were developed during the early-middle Holocene sea-level highstand.It is the modern tidal sand ridge sediment formed by intense hydrodynamic action under the influence of the Yellow Sea Coastal Current,North Jiangsu Coastal Current,and Changjiang Diluted Water.The surface sediments mainly originate from the Changjiang River and Huanghe River,with the Changjiang River dominating,and the Korean River(Hanjiang River)influencing just a few stations.Sand Ridges of the East China Sea shelf(ZoneⅡ-2)are the relict sediments of the paleo-Changjiang River created by sea invasion at the end of the Last Deglaciation in the Epipleistocene.The clay mineral composition of the surface sediments in the study area is just dominated by the Changjiang River,with the North Jiangsu Coastal Current and the Changjiang Diluted Water as the main transporting currents.

Distribution characteristics of zooplankton biomass in the East China Sea

On the basis of the data of oceanographic survey in the East China Sea in four seasons during 1997-2000 (23°30'~33°00'N, 118°30'-128°E), the variation of total biomass and diet biomass of zooplankton and their spatial-temporal distribution and relationship with the fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus are approached and analyzed. The results show that the average biomass is 65.32 mg/m3 in four seasons, autumn (86.18 mg/m3) being greater than summer (69.18 mg/m3) greater than spring (55.67 mg/m3) greater than winter (50.33 mg/m3). The average value of diet zooplankton biomass is 40.9 mg/m3. The trends of horizontal distribution both in the total biomass and the diet biomass of zooplankton are similar. The high biomass region (250-500 mg/m3) is very limited, only accounting for 1% of the investigation area. Seasonal variation of the biomass is very remarkable in the west and north parts of East China Sea coastal waters ( 29°30'N,125°E). The horizontal distribution of diet zooplankton depends on the abundance distribution of crustacean. The distribution of diet zooplankton is related to the fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus and the high-density area of young fish and larval. In spring, the central fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus (>100 kg/h) and the high-density area of young fish and larval (>100 individuals per net) are located at the same place of high-density (100-250 mg/m3)area of diet zooplankton in the middle-southern part of East China Sea or the edge of its waters.

Spatial and temporal variations of macro-and mesozoo-plankton community in the Huanghai Sea (Yellow Sea) and East China Sea in summer and winter

The study was conducted during two cruises of June–August 2006 （summer）,and January–February 2007 （winter） in the Huanghai （Yellow） Sea and East China Sea.Spatial and temporal variations of zooplankton abundance,biomass and community structure and its relation to currents and water masses over the continental shelf were examined.A total of 584 zooplankton species/taxa and 28 planktonic larvae were identified during the two surveys.Copepods were the most abundant component among these identified groups.Zooplankton abundance and biomass fluctuated widely and showed distinct heterogeneity in the shelf waters.Five zooplankton assemblages were identified with hierarchical cluster analysis during this study,and they were Huanghai Sea Assemblage,Changjiang Estuary Assemblage,Coastal Assemblage,East China Sea Mixed-water Assemblage and East China Sea Offshore Assemblage.Seasonal changes of zooplankton community composition and its geographical distribution were detected,and the locations of the faunistic areas overlap quite well with water masses and current systems.So we suggest that the zooplankton community structure and its changes were determined by the water masses in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea.The results of this research can provide fundamental information for the long-term monitoring of zooplankton ecology in the shelf of Huanghai Sea and East China Sea.

Geochemical and isotopic characteristics of volcanic rocks from the northern East China Sea shelf margin and the Okinawa Trough

Volcanic rocks both from the northern East China Sea （NECS） shelf margin and the northern Okinawa Trough are subalkaline less aluminous,and lower in High Field Strength Elements （HFSE）.These rocks are higher in Large Ion Lithophile Elements （LILE）,thorium and uranium contents,positive lead anomalies,negative Nb-Ta anomalies,and enrichment in Light Rare Earth Elements （LREE）.Basalts from the NECS shelf margin are akin to Indian Ocean Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt （MORB）,and rhyolites from the northern Okinawa Trough have the highest 207 Pb/ 204 Pb and 208 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios.The NECS shelf margin basalts have lower 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios,ε N d and σ 18 O than the northern Okinawa Trough silicic rocks.According to 40 K– 40 Ar isotopic ages of basalts from the NECS shelf margin,rifting of the Okinawa Trough may have been active since at least 3.65–3.86 Ma.The origin of the NECS shelf margin basalt can be explained by the interaction of melt derived from Indian Ocean MORB-like mantle with enriched subcontinental lithosphere.The basalts from both sides of the Okinawa Trough may have a similar origin during the initial rifting of the Okinawa Trough,and the formation of basaltic magmas closely relates to the thinning of continental crust.The source of the formation of the northern Okinawa Trough silicic rocks was different from that of the middle Okinawa Trough,which could have been generated by the interaction of basaltic melt with an enriched crustal component.From the Ryukyu island arc to East China,the Cenozoic basalts have apparently increasing trends of MgO contents and ratios of LREE to Heavy Rare Earth Elements （HREE）,suggesting that the trace element variabilities of basalts may have been influenced by the subduction of the Philippine Sea plate,and that the effects of subduction of the Philippine Sea plate on the chemical composition of basaltic melts have had a decreasing effect from the Ryukyu island arc to East China.

Analysis on the indicator species and ecological groups of pelagic ostracods in the East China Sea

Ecological adaptation and ecological groups of pelagic ostracods were examined in the East China Sea （23°30′-33°00′N, 118°30′ -128°00′E）, in relation to temperature and salinity. The data were collected in four surveys conducted from 1997 to 2000. The density, yield density, or negative exponent models were used to determine the optimal temperature and salinity of water for the thriving growth of pelagic ostracods. Thereafter, ecological groups and potential distribution patterns of pelagic ostracods were determined based on the predicted parameters such as optimal temperature and salinity, consulting the geographic distribution. The analytical results indicate that, among the numerical dominant pelagic ostracods in the East China Sea （ECS）, Euconchoecia aculeata, E. elongata, E. chierchiae, E. maimai, and Cypridina dentata, etc. are offshore subtropical water species. These species are widely distributed in the area, and they can be brought by the warm current to north offshore during spring and winter. The predicated optimal temperature （OT） and optimal salinity （OS） for Paraconchoecia decipiens, P. echinata, P. spini- fera, P. oblonga, Conchoecia magna and Porroeciaporrecta are all greater than 25℃ and 34 separately. These species are mainly distributed in the waters of the Kuroshio, the Taiwan Warm Current, and the Taiwan Strait, and therefore are designated as ocean- ic tropical water species. On the other hand, Pseudoconchoecia concerttrica is considered as offshore subtropical water species based on its geographical distribution although its OT is 19℃. The other species, though their OSs are approximately 34 and with OTs ranging from 20° to 25℃, are considered as offshore subtropical water species because they were found to be widely distributed from the South China Sea to the East China Sea.

An estimation of nutrient fluxes to the East China Sea continental shelf from the Taiwan Strait and Kuroshio subsurface waters in summer

According to historical mean ocean current data through the field observations of the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute during 1991–2005 and survey data of nutrients on the continental shelf of the East China Sea（ECS） in the summer of 2006, nutrient fluxes from the Taiwan Strait and Kuroshio subsurface waters are estimated using a grid interpolation method, which both are the sources of the Taiwan Warm Current. The nutrient fluxes of the two water masses are also compared. The results show that phosphate（PO4-P）, silicate（SiO3-Si） and nitrate（NO3-N） fluxes to the ECS continental shelf from the Kuroshio upwelling water are slightly higher than those from the Taiwan Strait water in the summer of 2006. In contrast, owing to its lower velocity, the nutrient flux density（i.e., nutrient fluxes divided by the area of the specific section） of the Kuroshio subsurface water is lower than that of the Taiwan Strait water. In addition, the Taiwan Warm Current deep water, which is mainly constituted by the Kuroshio subsurface water, might directly reach the areas of high-frequency harmful alga blooms in the ECS.