Reproductive biology of Hemitripterus villosus in the Bohai Strait,China

To understand the reproductive biology of Hemitripterus villosus in the Bohai Strait,and fill the key knowledge gap in verifying reproductive seasonality and documenting gonadotropin dependent reproductive cycle of this species,a year-round detail study was conducted for the first time.In total,263 individuals were randomly sampled off the coasts of the Bohai Strait.Results show that and the overall female-to-male ratio(1.35:1)did not differ significantly from the 1:1 sex ratio.The length and weight relationship for females and males were regressed,depicting an isometric growth for both sexes.Four reproductive phases of the complete gonadotropin dependent reproductive cycle in both sexes were identified.The monthly variations in the gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indexes for both sexes further indicated that this species spawns a single batch of eggs per year and the peak spawning period is from October to December.The average diameter of eggs ranged from 2.10 to 3.57 mm.The length at first sexual maturity was 224.87 mm for females and 241.26 mm for males.Significant positive relationships between absolute fecundity and fish size,and also gonadal weight were observed.H.villosus from the Bohai Strait exhibited smaller body size,smaller egg diameter,lower gonadosomatic index,lower absolute fecundity,and higher population extinction risk than the other populations’studied previously.Our findings contribute to understanding the status of this isolated westernmost population,and we emphasize that more efficient protection measures for the species and control measures are urgently required to improve the coastal environment in the Bohai Strait.

Influence of typhoon MITAG on the Kuroshio intrusion in the Luzon Strait during early fall 2019

Typhoons in the western Pacific have a significant impact on the transport of heat,salt and particles through the Luzon Strait.However,there are very limited field observations of this impact because of extreme difficulties and even dangers for ship-based measurements during the rough weather.Here,we present the preliminary results from analyzing a dataset collected by a glider deployed west of the Luzon Strait a few days prior to the arrival of typhoon MITAG.The gilder data revealed an abnormally salinity(>34.8)subsurface water apparently sourced from Kuroshio intrusion during the typhoon.When typhoon MITAG traveled on the east of the Luzon Strait,the positive wind stress curl strengthened the cyclonic eddy and weakened the anti-cyclonic eddy.This led to a slowdown of Kuroshio and made its intrusion easier.The main axis of the Kuroshio at the northern part of the strait shifted westward after the typhoon and did not return to its original position until a week later.The Ekman transport from persistent northerly wind of typhoon MITAG was significant,but its importance in enhancing the Kuroshio intrusion is only secondary relative to the eddies variations.

Analysis of Tidal Current Energy Potential in the Major Channels of the Bohai Strait Based on Delft3D

The utilization and development of tidal current energy can help alleviate the current energy shortage,improve the global ecological environment,and maintain sustainable development.In this study,numerical simulation is carried out on a rectangular grid using Delft3D.The tidal current energy potential of the major channels in the Bohai Strait is further simulated and estimated by comparing the simulated and measured data.Results show that the flow module in Delft3D has good modeling ability for the assessment of tidal current energy potential.The average flow velocity,maximum flow velocity,and energy flow density are consistent.The Laotieshan Channel,located in the northern part of the Bohai Strait,shows a large tidal current energy potential.The maximum flow velocity of this channel can reach 2 m s-1,and the maximum energy flow density can exceed 500 W m-2.The tidal current energy in the Laotieshan Channel is more than 10 times that in other channels.Therefore,this study advocates for the continued exploration and exploitation of the tidal current energy resources in the Laotieshan Channel.

Identification of thermal front dynamics in the northern Malacca Strait using ROMS 3D-model

The thermal front in the oceanic system is believed to have a significant effect on biological activity.During an era of climate change,changes in heat regulation between the atmosphere and oceanic interior can alter the characteristics of this important feature.Using the simulation results of the 3D Regional Ocean Modelling System(ROMS),we identified the location of thermal fronts and determined their dynamic variability in the area between the southern Andaman Sea and northern Malacca Strait.The Single Image Edge Detection(SIED)algorithm was used to detect the thermal front from model-derived temperature.Results show that a thermal front occurred every year from 2002 to 2012 with the temperature gradient at the location of the front was 0.3°C/km.Compared to the years affected by El Ni?o and negative Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD),the normal years(e.g.,May 2003)show the presence of the thermal front at every selected depth(10,25,50,and 75 m),whereas El Ni?o and negative IOD during 2010 show the presence of the thermal front only at depth of 75 m due to greater warming,leading to the thermocline deepening and enhanced stratification.During May 2003,the thermal front was separated by cooler SST in the southern Andaman Sea and warmer SST in the northern Malacca Strait.The higher SST in the northern Malacca Strait was believed due to the besieged Malacca Strait,which trapped the heat and make it difficult to release while higher chlorophyll a in Malacca Strait is due to the freshwater conduit from nearby rivers(Klang,Langat,Perak,and Selangor).Furthermore,compared to the southern Andaman Sea,the chlorophyll a in the northern Malacca Strait is easier to reach the surface area due to the shallower thermocline,which allows nutrients in the area to reach the surface faster.

Dynamic of phytoplankton community during varying intensities of the northeast monsoon in the Taiwan Strait

The characteristics of the terrain of a strait can lead to a“fine tube”effect that enhances a monsoon and thereby affects the physical,chemical,and biological processes of marine ecosystems.This effect is a highly dynamic and complex phenomenon involving interactions among atmospheric,oceanic,and terrestrial systems,as well as biogeochemical cycles and biological responses driven by it.However,current understanding has been focused mainly on the differences between monsoons,and there have been few studies concerned with the weakening or strengthening of monsoons.To explore the biogeochemical and phytoplankton responses during varying intensities of the northeast(NE)monsoon in the Taiwan Strait,high-resolution,across-front observations combined with FerryBox online data and satellite observations were conducted in this study during a strong,moderate,and weak NE monsoon.The spatiotemporal changes of nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton communities were regulated by the dynamics of ocean currents forced by NE winds.The weakening of the NE monsoon caused shrinkage of the coastal currents that led to a reduction of nutrient concentrations and an alteration of the distribution patterns of phytoplankton communities along cross-front sections.Specifically,there was a notable decrease in the proportions of dinoflagellates and cryptophytes in inshore regions and of prasinophytes in offshore areas.This study showed for the first time the dynamics of phytoplankton with changes of ocean currents during varying intensities of the NE monsoon in a strait system.The findings helped to elucidate the general spatial patterns of the phytoplankton community based on satellite-derived surface temperature and wind patterns and further enhanced the understanding of biogeochemical cycles in marine systems.

The response of surface sedimental diatoms to the environment and its potential significance in the Taiwan Strait,western Pacific

As the most important component of marine siliceous organisms,diatoms are vital primary producers of the ocean that are often used as indicators of paleoenvironmental change.To understand the response of sedimental diatoms to regional environmental changes and the factors affecting the distribution of sedimental diatoms in the Taiwan Strait,this study quantified and classified the diatoms found in surface sediments collected during four surveys from 2019 to 2020.Overall,118 diatom taxa and 44 genera were identified with total diatom abundance of 8-27353 valves/g.Four diatom assemblages representing different environments were identified.Among them,assemblageⅠrepresented a coastal environment,assemblageⅡcomprised warm water species of a coastal environment,AssemblageⅢrepresented a coastal environment affected markedly by exorheism,AssemblageⅣrepresented a group with lowest diatom abundance.Seasonal variation in total diatom abundance was controlled by seven environmental factors:depth,sea surface salinity,mean grain size,silicate,nitrite,nitrate,and phosphate.Spatiotemporal variation in each of the diatom assemblages was substantial and strongly affected by various currents,upwelling,and low-salinity water.Specifically,it was found that the succession of diatom assemblages reflects change in the range of influence of local warm currents.

Spatiotemporal variations of phytoplankton in the Taiwan Strait using lipid biomarkers and the potential influencing factors

The biological pump,driven by phytoplankton production and death,plays a crucial role in the ocean’s sequestration of atmospheric CO_(2).In particular,marginal seas with high primary productivity show a significant capacity for carbon fixation.Variations in phytoplankton biomass and community structure are key factors influencing the efficiency of the marine biological pump.The Taiwan Strait(TS)is a unique shallow conduit that connects the East China Sea(ECS)and the South China Sea(SCS),which are subject to seasonal monsoons and episodic events(e.g.,typhoons and floods).Thus,its planktonic ecosystem is significantly influenced by physical processes such as strong ocean currents,coastal upwelling and river discharge,resulting in noticeable seasonal variability.In this study,we examined spatiotemporal patterns of phytoplankton biomass and community structure using phytoplankton-sourced biomarkers from suspended particles in surface waters across all four seasons from 2019 to 2020 in the TS.The findings highlight notable seasonal disparities in phytoplankton biomass,with spring and summer exhibiting significantly higher levels compared to autumn and winter.In order to determine phytoplankton ecosystem responses to various physical and biological processes on a seasonal scale,we used Empirical Orthogonal/Eigen Function(EOF)analysis to investigate the covarying spatiotemporal patterns of:marine-sourced biomarkers and terrestrial-sourced biomarkers in surface suspended particles,a biomass indicator(Chl a),water-mass indicators[sea surface temperature(SST),sea surface salinity(SSS),nutrients],and a hydrodynamic indicator[total suspended solids at surface/bottom water,(TSS_S and TSS_B)].The results identified six physical-biological coupling modes that influence seasonal variations in marine phytoplankton ecosystems within the energetic strait system.Additionally,an in-depth understanding of the coupling between physical process and lipid biomarker signals from suspended particles in the contemporary marine environment can offer valuable insights for interpreting ancient sediment records of phytoplankton ecosystem evolution in the TS.

Numerical Study on Tides in the Taiwan Strait and its Adjacent Areas

Diurnal and semi-diurnal tides in the Taiwan Strait and its adjacent areas are calculated by using a two-dimensional finite-difference model. Compared with data of more than 20 observation stations around the Taiwan Strait, the model-produced results agree quite well with those of previous researches using observational data from coastal tidal gauge stations. According to the results, the co-tidal and co-range charts are given. Furthermore, the characteristics of 8 major tidal constituents have been uminated respectively. The result shows that： （1） The tide motion can be attributed to the interaction between the degenerative rotary tidal system in the north and the progressive tidal system in the south. （2） The southward and northward tidal waves of semi-diurnal tide converge in the middle of the Taiwan Strait while the diurnal tidal waves propagate southwestward through the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait. （3） The maximum amplitude of semi-diurnal tides exists at the area between the Meizhou Bay and Xinghua Bay, and that of diurnal tides appears in the region to the east of the Leizhou Peninsula, （4） The patterns of co-tidal and co-range charts of N2, K2 and P1, Q1 tidal constituents are similar to those of M2, S2 and K1 O1 tidat constituents, respectively

Distribution characteristic and variation trend of planktonic dinoflagellate in the Taiwan Strait from 2006 to 2007

Based on 4 cruise surveys from July 2006 to October 2007 in the Taiwan Strait, the species composition, community structure and spatio-temporal distribution of dinoflagellate were studied. A total of 131 dinoflagellates belonging to 18 genera were identified. The population was dominated by hyperthermal and hyperhaline species accounting for 72.52% of the total species. Eurythermal and euryhaline species were the second most common one accounting for 25.19% of the total species. It was only 2.29% for neritic species. The maximum species number occurred in summer, while the maximum cell density appeared in spring. The average dinoflagellate cell density was 404.96x104 cells/m3. It showed that the dinof]agellate cell density increased from the nearshore waters to the open sea and from the north to the south. Compared with the results during 1984-1985, the horizontal distribution pattern and seaeonal variation of the dinofiagellate have not changed significantly, but the dinoflagellate cell density increased by 3.01 times. Further analysis of the dinoflagellate abundance variations both in the spatial and temporal aspects, indicated that the abundance of dinoflagellate increased more significantly in cold seasons, and there was a larger increase in the north of the Taiwan Strait. Besides, the dinoflagellate community structure changed notably. It showed that the diversity and evenness index were relatively high, and the proportion of dinoflageliate cell density to the total phytoplankton increased.

Sediment bacterial communities are more complex in coastal shallow straits than in oceanic deep straits

Straits are ideal models to investigate the bacterial community assembly in complex hydrological environments. However, few studies have focused on bacterial communities in them. Here, comparable bacterial communities in costal shallow Bohai Strait(BS) and oceanic deep Fram Strait(FS) were studied. The Shannon and Chao1 indices were both higher in BS than in FS. The relative abundances of the classes Deltaproteobacteria and Bacilli and the family Halieaceae were higher in BS than in FS, in contrast to the families OM1_clade and JTB255_marine_benthic_group, revealing typical characteristics of bacterial communities in coastal and oceanic regions. Cluster analysis based on the Bray-Curtis index showed that samples were clustered by depth layer in FS and BS, indicating that structures of bacterial communities would diff er with increasing water depth in straits. Additionally, the cluster relationships among samples in abundant and rare communities were both similar to those in entire communities. However, the dissimilarities among samples showed a descending order as rare communities, entire communities and abundant communities. Network analysis indicated that the BS network was obviously more complex than the FS network. Filamentous bacteria Desulfobulbaceae exhibited high degree values in BS but not in FS, indicating key roles of Desulfobulbaceae in the BS. Our study provides different and common evidences for understanding microbial ecology in coastal shallow and oceanic deep straits.

Influencing factors and evaluation application of regional crustal stability in the Bohai Strait

Due to the extremely complex geological conditions in the Bohai Strait, active faults is very developed and earthquake activity occurs frequently. It is of great importance to evaluate the regional crustal stability for the planning and construction of the Trans-straits Passage. In this study, the authors carry out the evaluation by means of buffer analysis, topology analysis and overlay analysis based on ArcGIS software. The evaluation mainly analyzed six assessment factors of Bohai Strait including neotectonic activity, active faults distribution, seismicity, tectonic stress fields, Bouguer gravity anomaly and geological disasters. In brief, the crustal stability of the eastern North Yellow Sea Basin is best, while that of the Bohai Basin and southwest Bohai Strait is poor. Meanwhile, small and frequent earthquakes in the southern Strait and geological disasters developed in the northern and central Strait such as tidal ridge and shallow gas which may adversely impact on the Trans-straits Passage construction.

Evidence for water exchange between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean through the Luzon Strait

An analysis of historical oxygen data provides evidence on the water exchange between theSouth China Sea (SCS) and the Pacific Ocean (PO). In the vicinity of the Luzon Strait (LS) , the dissolved oxygen concentration of sea water is found to be lower on the Pacific side than on the SCS side at depths between 700 and 1500 m (intermediate layer) , while the situation is reversed above 700 m (upper layer) and below 1 500 m (deep layer). The evidence suggests that water exits the SCS in the intermediate layer but enters it from the Pacific in both the upper and the deep layers, supporting the earlier speculation that the Luzon Strait transport has a sandwiched structure in the vertical. Within the SCS basin, the oxygen distribution indicates widespread vertical movement, including the upwelling in the intermediate layer and the downwelling in the deep layer.

Impact of the water input from the eastern Qiongzhou Strait to the Beibu Gulf on Guangxi coastal circulation

Based on a comparison of synchronized temperature and salinity data collected in the eastern Qiongzhou Strait and at coastal marine stations, this study finds that, in summer, the variation in salinity near the Weizhou Island in Guangxi is similar to that in the eastern and central portions of the Qiongzhou Strait. Additionally, the Beihai Station in Guangxi exhibits a small salinity variation, whereas the Longmen and Bailongwei Stations, both of which are located far from the Qiongzhou Strait, mainly exhibit continental hydrological characteristics in summer. Moreover, a comparison of the multi-year ocean current data from the Qiongzhou Strait and ocean current observations from the Weizhou Island Station and recently installed current-measuring stations shows that the residual current in the Qiongzhou Strait flows westward in winter and summer. The numerical simulation results also indicate that water from the eastern Qiongzhou Strait enters the Beibu Gulf. The characteristics of the temperature and salinity distributions and analyses of the residual currents further confirm that the western Guangdong coastal current is the main source of the westward transport of water in the Qiongzhou Strait. The primary driver of the formation of the western Guangdong coastal current is the westward flow of freshwater from the Zhujiang (Pearl) River. This water enters the Beibu Gulf via the Qiongzhou Strait and enhances the formation of the cyclonic circulation in the northern Beibu Gulf. In summer, the strong influence of the southwesterly wind leads to the formation of a strong northward coastal current along the western coast of the Beibu Gulf. This process promotes the transport of low-salinity diluted water toward the open ocean and the formation of larger- scale cyclonic circulation around Weizhou Island in the eastern Beibu Gulf. The results of this study regarding the effects of the water inflow from the eastern Qiongzhou Strait to the Beibu Gulf on the Guangxi coastal circulation directly challenge conventional conclusions concerning the transport direction of water through the Qiongzhou Strait in winter and summer.

An overview of 10-year observation of the South China Sea branch of the Pacific to Indian Ocean throughflow at the Karimata Strait

Besides the Indonesian throughflow(ITF), the South China Sea throughflow(SCSTF) also contributes to the water transport from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. However, this South China Sea(SCS) branch at the Karimata Strait is poorly observed until 2007, even though its importance has been suggested by numerical studies for decades. In this paper, we review the nearly 10-year field measurement in the Karimata Strait by the execution of the projects of "SCS-Indonesian Seas Transport/Exchange(SITE) and Impacts on Seasonal Fish Migration" and "The Transport, Internal Waves and Mixing in the Indonesian Throughflow regions(TIMIT) and Impacts on Marine Ecosystem", which extend the observations from the western Indonesian seas to the east to include the main channels of the ITF, is introduced. Some major achievements from these projects are summarized.

Water mass of the northward throughflow in the Bering Strait in the summer of 2003

The temperature and salinity data obtained by the Chinese national arctic research expedition （CHINARE2003） are used to study the water structure in the Bering Strait and ambient regions. Four water masses appeared in the research region： the intermediate Bering Sea water mass （IBWM）, the Alaska coastal water （ACW）, the Anadyr water （AW） and the Bering shelf water （BSW）. The AW originates from the IBWM, but the upper layer water has been greatly altered. In the cruise on 28/29 July 2003, there were only the BSW and ACW in a section across the Bering Strait （BS section）, but in the September 12/13 cruise, the AW, BSW and ACW flowed parallelly into the Bering Strait. The upper waters of these water masses were all altered due to ice melting, runoff, solar radiation, and wind mixing. The waters in the central and northern parts of Bering Strait stratified by two uniform layers,were expressed as the typical feature of the water masses originating from the pacific. A two-layer structure also dominated the vertical stratification in most part of the Chukchi Sea. An obvious subseasonal variation was observed in the BS section, which caused varying transportation of fresh water, heat, and substance, and produced a long-term and extensive impact on the Arctic Ocean.

Seasonal variation of water transport through the Karimata Strait

Four trawl-resistant bottom mounts, with acoustic Doppler current profilers(ADCPs) embedded, were deployed in the Karimata Strait from November 2008 to June 2015 as part of the South China Sea-Indonesian Seas Transport/Exchange and Impact on Seasonal Fish Migration(SITE) Program, to estimate the volume and property transport between the South China Sea and Indonesian seas via the strait. The observed current data reveal that the volume transport through the Karimata Strait exhibits significant seasonal variation. The winteraveraged(from December to February) transport is –1.99 Sv(1 Sv=1×10~6 m^3/s), while in the boreal summer(from June to August), the average transport is 0.69 Sv. Moreover, the average transport from January 2009 to December2014 is –0.74 Sv(the positive/negative value indicates northward/southward transport). May and September are the transition period. In May, the currents in the Karimata Strait turn northward, consistent with the local monsoon. In September, the southeasterly trade wind is still present over the strait, driving surface water northward, whereas the bottom flow reverses direction, possibly because of the pressure gradient across the strait from north to south.

Observations of the Karimata Strait througflow from December 2007 to November 2008

In order to quantitatively estimate the volume and property transports between the South China Sea and Indonesian Seas via the Karimata Strait, two trawi-resistant bottom mounts, with ADCPs embedded, were deployed in the strait to measure the velocity profile as part of the South China Sea-Indonesian Seas trans- port/exchange （SITE） program. A pair of surface and bottom acoustic modems was employed to transfer the measured velocity without recovering the mooring. The advantage and problems of the instruments in this field work are reported and discussed. The field observations confirm the existence of the South Chi- na Sea branch of Indonesian throughflow via the Karimata Strait with a stronger southward flow in boreal winter and weaker southward bottom flow in boreal summer, beneath the upper layer northward （reversal） flow. The estimate of the averaged volume, heat and freshwater transports from December 2007 to March 2008 （winter） is （-2.7±1.1）×10^6 m^3/s, （-0.30±0.11） PW, 2008 （summer） is （1.2±0.6）×10^6 m^3/s, （0.14±0.03） PW, （-0.18±0.07） × 106 m3/s and from May to September （0.12±0.04）×10^6 m^3/s and for the entire record from December 2007 to October 2008 is （-0.5±1.9）×10^6 m^3/s, （-0.05±0.22） PW, （-0.01±0.15）×10^6 m^3/s （nega- tive/positive represents southward/northward transport）, respectively. The existence of southward bottom flow in boreal summer implies that the downward sea surface slope from north to south as found by Fang et al. （2010） for winter is a year-round phenomenon.

A numerical study of the South China Sea deep circulation and its relation to the Luzon Strait transport

A fine-resolution MOM code is used to study the South China Sea basin-scale circulationand its relation to the mass transport through the Luzon Strait. The model domain includes the South China Sea, part of the East China Sea, and part of the Philippine Sea so that the currents in the vicinity of the Luzon Strait are free to evolve. In addition, all channels between the South China Sea and the Indonesian seas are closed so that the focus is on the Luzon Strait transport. The model is driven by specified Philippine Sea currents and by surface heat and salt flux conditions. For simplicity, no wind-stress is applied at the surface.The simulated Luzon Strait transport and the South China Sea circulation feature a sandwich vertical structure from the surface to the bottom. The Philippine Sea water is simulated to enter the South China Sea at the surface and in the deep ocean and is carried to the southern basin by western boundary currents. At the intermediate depth, the net Luzon Strait transport is out of the South China Sea and is fed by a western boundary current flowing to the north at the base of the thermocline. Corresponding to the western boundary currents, the basin circulation of the South China Sea is cyclonic gyres at the surface and in the abyss but an anti-cyclonic gyre at the intermediate depth. The vorticity balance of the gyre circulation is between the vortex stretching and the meridional change of the planetary vorticity. Based on these facts, it is hypothesized that the Luzon Strait transports are determined by the diapycnal mixing inside the entire South China Sea. The South China Sea plays the role of a 'mixing mill' that mixes the surface and deep waters to return them to the Luzon Strait at the intermediate depth. The gyre structures are consistent with the Stommel and Arons theory (1960), which suggests that the mixing-induced circulation inside the South China Sea should be cyclonic gyres at the surface and at the bottom but an anti-cyclonic gyre at the intermediate depth. The simulated gyre circulation at the intermediate depth has been confirmed by the dynamic height calculation based on the Levitus hydrography data. The sandwich transports in the Luzon Strait are consistent with recent hydrographical observations.Model results suggest that the Kuroshio tends to form a loop current in the northeastern South China Sea. The simulated Kuroshio Loop Current is generated by the pressure head at the Pacific side of the Luzon Strait and is enhanced by the β-plane effects. The β - plane appears to be of paramount importance to the South China Sea circulation and to the Luzon Strait transports. Without the β-plane, theLuzon Strait transports would be greatly reduced and the South China Sea circulation would be complete-ly different.

A survey on Hydroidomedusae from the upwelling region of southern part of the Taiwan Strait of ChinaⅠ.On new species and records of Anthomedusae

Fhrough the examination of 377 samples of the Anthomedusae, eight new species and one new record are described.

Species composition and distribution of marine nematode community in the North Taiwan Strait

Marine free-living nematodes were investigated at 13 sampling stations divided into three transects in the northern Taiwan Strait in February 1998. One hundred species of marine nematodes belonging to 91 Genera 28 Families 3 Orders were identified and were first recorded in the northern Taiwan Strait. The dominant species were Vasostoma sp., Sabatieria sp. 1, Linhystera sp. 1, Spilophorella sp., Daptonema sp., Halalaimus sp. and Dorylaimopsis variabilis. Their main densities were all over 4 950 ind./m2. According to mean density at transects, marine nematode density decreased from coastal Weitou to off Minjiang Estuary, which was similar to polychaete distribution in northern Taiwan Strait. The selective deposit feeder (1A) was the dominant food type of marine nematodes in the northern Taiwan Strait, but non-selective deposit feeders (1B) and epigrowth feeders (2A) occupied high proportion, indicating diverse feeding types of marine nematodes in the northern Taiwan Strait. Some environmental factors such as currents are discussed.