Local Climate Change Induced by Urbanization on a South China Sea Island

The South China Sea is a hotspot for regional climate research.Over the past 40 years,considerable improvement has been made in the development and utilization of the islands in the South China Sea,leading to a substantial change in the land-use of the islands.However,research on the impact of human development on the local climate of these islands is lacking.This study analyzed the characteristics of local climate changes on the islands in the South China Sea based on data from the Yongxing Island Observation Station and ERA5 re-analysis.Furthermore,the influence of urbanization on the local climate of the South China Sea islands was explored in this study.The findings revealed that the 10-year average temperature in Yongxing Island increased by approximately 1.11℃from 1961 to 2020,and the contribution of island development and urbanization to the local warming rate over 60 years was approximately 36.2%.The linear increasing trend of the annual hot days from 1961–2020 was approximately 14.84 days per decade.The diurnal temperature range exhibited an increasing trend of 0.05℃per decade,whereas the number of cold days decreased by 1.06days per decade.The rapid increase in construction on Yongxing Island from 2005 to 2021 led to a decrease in observed surface wind speed by 0.32 m s^(-1)per decade.Consequently,the number of days with strong winds decreased,whereas the number of days with weak winds increased.Additionally,relative humidity exhibited a rapid decline from 2001 to 2016 and then rebounded.The study also found substantial differences between the ERA5 re-analysis and observation data,particularly in wind speed and relative humidity,indicating that the use of re-analysis data for climate resource assessment and climate change evaluation on island areas may not be feasible.

Vulnerability Assessment of Tourism Environment in the South China Sea Islands : Construction of Evaluation Model Based on Interpretation System of Formation Mechanism

Tourism vulnerability research is an important theoretical basis for sustainable research of tourism.In this study,it hopes to establish a comprehensive evaluation index system for vulnerability of tourism environment in the South China Sea Islands,to achieve the sound development of island tourism in the South China Sea.Therefore,based on the study of the geographical environment and geographical background of the South China Sea Islands,the mechanism analysis method is used to form three interpretation systems.First,interpretation system of meridional causality mechanism.4 evaluation levels and 52 indicators are screened out,and the mathematical and physical criteria for each indicator is established.Second,interpretation system of latitudinal factor relationship mechanism.The AHP is used to obtain the weights of each index,and the contribution rate of factor at each level to the vulnerability is determined.Third,sharing platform of connecting meridional and latitudinal interpretation system.Likert 5-level scale is used to make the factors belong to different orders of magnitude,and factors from different systems could be comparable.Finally,through the formulation of mathematical and chemical standards of indexes and weights of evaluation indexes,a comprehensive evaluation model for vulnerability of tourism environment in the South China Sea Islands is established.

THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA ISLANDS IN ANCIENT CHINA

The thesis studies the ancient place names recorded in Chinese ancient maps, such as Shanhuzhou, Changsha, Shitang, Qianlichangsha, Jiuruleizhou,Shixingshitang, Wanlishitang, Wanlichangti, Changshahai, Shitanghai, Nanoqi,Hongmaoqian, Dongsha, Hongmaqian, and more than 100 folk place manes recorded in Geng Lu Bu and some finding rePOrts. After that, it POints out that the formaer representing the colony of coral reef are general place names and the latter representing the individual coral reefs are particular place names. Both of them set up the place name system of the South China Sea islands in ancient China. It also POints out that it is the Chinese People who first name the South China Sea islands before west colonialists invaded the islands, and nine place names of itu Aha, Namyit island, Sincowe islands, Subi Reef, Lankian Cay, London Reef, Passukeak, Thitu island, and Duncan Island, which were used by the west coloniali are transliteration place names of Chinese folk place names, Lastly, the paper draw the conclussion that the namenclature of the South China Sea Islands in ancient China provide the strongist evidence that the South China Sea islands are parts of China.

Mineral provinces and material provenance of the surficial sediments near the Zhongsha Islands in the South China Sea

Characteristics and distribution patterns of clastic minerals （0. 063 -0. 125 mm） in bottom sediments represent a significant indi- cator for the identification of the origin of sediment. One hundred and fourteen surface sediment samples, which were collected from the area near the Zhongsha Islands in the South China Sea, were analysed to identify the mineral suites and their distributions in the study area. The area can be divided into three mineral provinces ： （Ⅰ） a province of biogenic minerals, which mainly originate from the Zhongsha Atoll ; （ Ⅱ） a province of volcanogenic minerals, which are mainly derived from local basaltic seamounts and small-scale volcanoes that are probably erupting, with some influences from the island-arc volcanic region around the South China Sea; and （ Ⅲ） a mixed mineral province whose material source includes biogenic minerals, volcanogenic minerals and terrigenous minerals; the last province can be subdivided into a mixed mineral sub-province of the northeastern part of the study area, in which terrigenous minerals are mainly derived from China＇ s Mainland and do not exceed 17°N, and a mixed mineral subprovince of the southeastern part of the study area, in which terrigenous minerals are derived from Kalimantan and Indochina Peninsula and might be further transported into the deep sea basin through submarine canyons.

A 2200-year Record of Seabird Population on Ganquan Island,South China Sea

Geochemical characteristics of a 107 cm long sediment profile,collected from Ganquan Island,South China Sea,were analyzed.Based on concentrations of bio-elements（Cu,Zn,Cd,Ba,As, Se,P）,^（210）Pb and AMS^（14）C dating,we reconstructed seabird population of Ganquan Island over the past 2200 years.Seabirds inhabited this island more than 2200 years ago,and their population displayed remarkable fluctuations with two peaks around 2100-1850 yr BP and 900-300 yr BP,respectively.The seabird population change profile on Ganquan Island is similar to that on Dongdao Island over the past 1800 years.We examined the relationship between the seabird population and climate,and found it quite complicated.The seabird population did not reach the maximum during the Medical Warm Period（MWP）with relatively high average temperature;however,it remained near the peak value for about 600 years during the climatic transition period and the Little Ice Age（LIA）,indicating that a relatively cool climate is favorable for seabirds on Ganquan Island.

MARINE FOULING IN OFFSHORE AREAS EAST OF HAINAN ISLAND, NORTHERN SOUTH CHINA SEA

This paper reports on results of the investigation of marine biofouling on offshore structures east of Hainan Island in the northern South China Sea. Two buoy investigation stations were deployed in Qiongdong (W1, 68 n miles offshore) and southern Qiongdong (J2, 23 n miles offshore) waters, respectively. At both sites, water depths were more than 100 meters. Test panels on iron frames were placed at 1, 10, 25, 50 and 100 m below the seawater surface, and exposed for 8 months from October 1989 to June 1990. The results indicated that hydroids, gooseneck barnacles and oysters were the most important fouling species in these offshore areas. Acorn barnacles were mainly found at Station J2. The maximum fouling accumulations were observed in near surface waters. Substantial reduction of biomass and species diversity occurred with increasing depth and distance from shore. Sources of fouling organisms and influences of environmental factors on the species distributions are discussed in this paper.

Dynamics of picoplankton in the Nansha Islands area of the South China Sea

Dynamics of major picoplankton groups, Synechococcus (Syn), Prochlorococcus (Pro), picoeukaryotes (Euk) and heterotrophic bacteria (Bact) was investigated by flow cytometry for the first time in the Nansha Islands area in the South China Sea. Averaged over the whole investigation area, depth-weighted integrated cell abundance (DWA) of Syn, Pro, Euk and Bact was 1.6 (0.4-5.7)×103, 5.4 (0.1-7.3)×104, 0.7 (0.2-2.2)×103, and 2.3 (1.4-3.2)×105 cells/mL respectively. Picoautotrophic cell abundance was low in the northwest part of the Nansha Islands where surface water temperature was low and the upper mixed layer was shallow. Concurrently, a surface maximum vertical distribution pattern was observed in this area. While in the southeast and east zones where temperatures were relatively higher and nitraclines were deeper, picoplankton is abundant and a subsurface maximum around 50-75 m is observed. Coupling of horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of picoplankton abundance and hydrological status was found, suggesting a strong influence of currents and water column structure on picoplankton distribution in the investigation area. Contrary to that in the shelf water in the East China Sea, the relationship between Pro and Bact in the Nansha Islands area in the South China Sea was not significantly negative but weakly positive. Moreover, a similar distribution pattern of Syn and Pro was observed. Possible reasons for these differences in the two marine regimes were discussed.

The influence of earthquakes on Zhubi Reef in the Nansha Islands of the South China Sea

It is exceedingly important to estimate the stability of coral reefs. In recent years, growing construction projects have been carried out on the reef flat in the South China Sea. As a special marine geotechnical medium, it is made of the reef debris underwent overwhelmingly long geological age. Reefs grow thickly on the carbonate platform after the Late Oligocene and have five to six main sedimentary facies. It can be used as a recorder to measure the occurrence time of recent earthquake. A model of reef body is presented to study the influence of earthquakes according to the geological structure characteristic of reefs in the Nansha Islands. Furthermore, Geo Studio is used to simulate stress and deformation situations within it under various earthquake intensities. A safety factor is calculated by the limit equilibrium method, and the possible scenarios of earthquake-induced landslides and sliding scale are defined with a Newmark sliding block method, as well as stress distribution and deformation behaviors. Therefore, the numerical results suggest that the connections between the coral reef and the earthquake are as follows：（1） the reef body has a good stability under self-gravity state;（2） after the earthquake, it may cause slope＇s instability and bring out slumping when the safety factor is smaller than 1（FS〈1）;（3） the safety factor decreases with the increasing earthquake intensity, and fluctuates around a particular value after a while;and（4） as a new developed part of the reef, the smaller shallow landslide will be easily subject to collapse caused by the earthquake. It is concluded that it is feasible to provide a reference for evaluating the stability of coral reef using a geotechnical engineering simulation method. This can help the engineering constructions in the South China Sea.

Heavy Metal Distributions and Source Tracing in the Lacustrine Sediments of Dongdao Island,South China Sea

The levels and depth distributions of As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, Hg, Fe and Mn in two sediment cores DY2 and DY4 collected from the ＂Cattle Pond＂ of Dongdao Island, South China Sea, were determined and analyzed with the main objective to identify the sources of these elements and evaluate the corresponding sedimentological and geochemical processes. Lithological characters and sedimentary parameters such as LOI950℃, CaO, LOI550℃ and TOC indicate that the depth of 96 cm and 87 cm are the critical points for DY2 and DY4 cores, respectively. As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Hg and P are remarkably enriched in the ornithogenic sediments above the critical depth points; their concentration-versus-depth profiles are similar to those of TOC and LOI550℃; the ratios of As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Hg over Ca are significantly correlated with P/Ca. Statistical and comparative analyses of these elements＇ levels in the ornithogenic sediments of DY2 and DY4 strongly suggest that seabird droppings are the main source of these elements. Additionally, for the upper sediment layers of DY2 and DY4 cores, Fe oxide sorption mechanism, like organic matter, may also play an important role in the abundances of heavy metals. Heavy metal Pb has geochemical characteristics distinctly different from those of As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Hg and P, and its isotope composition indicates an origin of anthropogenic emissions from the surrounding countries. These geochemical characteristics in the orinithogenic sediments of Xisha Islands are compared with the studies in the remote Antarctic and Arctic regions.

Diversity of symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium in scleractinian corals of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea

Symbiotic algae （Symbiodinium sp.） in scleractinian corals are important in understanding how coral reefs will respond to global climate change. The present paper reports on the diversity of Symbiodinium sp. in 48 scleractinian coral species from 25 genera and 10 families sampled from the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, which were identified with the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism （RFLP） of the nuclear ribosomal DNA large subunit gene （rDNA）. The results showed that： （i） Symbiodinium Clade C was the dominant zooxanthellae in scleractinian corals in the Xisha Islands; （ii） Symbiodinium Clade D was found in the corals Montipora aequituberculata, Galaxea fascicularis, and Plerogyra sinuosa; and （iii） both Symbiodinium Clades C and D were found simultaneously in Montipora digitata, Psammocora contigua, and Galaxeafascicularis. A poor capacity for symbiosis polymorphism, as uncovered by RFLP, in the Xisha Islands indicates that the scleractinian corals have low adaptability to environmental changes. Further studies are needed to investigate zooxanthellae diversity using other molecular markers.

Characteristics of K_d (490) around Nansha Islands in the South China Sea

The diffusion attenuation coefficient for downwelling irradiance, Kd (490), is an important optical parameter of seawater. The optical property, Kd (490), around Nansha Islands in the South China Sea was analyzed based on optical data profiles measured with SPMR ( SeaWiFS Profiling Multichannel Radiometer ) and SMSR ( SeaWiFS Multichannel Surface Reference ) instrument in April and May, 1999. The results show that Kd (490) is closely correlated with chlorophyll-a concentration, Cchl.a, and that the vertical distribution of Kd (490) shows the strong stratification of the water column in this area. Kd (490) has a similar vertical co-variation as KL (490), the diffusive attenuation coefficient for upwelling radiance. Both coefficients increase with depth in the upper layer, where KL (490) is greater than Kd (490); and after a depth, approximatively at the chlorophyll maximum, they decrease with depth, with the former being smaller than the latter.

Effects of igneous bodies on modification of modern slope morphology: Insights from the continental slope offshore Dongsha Islands, South China Sea

A statistical analysis for the morphological parameters extracted from numerous seismic profiles, and a highresolution seismic study of the southeastern slope of the Dongsha Islands(South China Sea) with water depth between approximately 500 and 3 100 m, has revealed the variation of morphological features due to the intrusion of igneous bodies and associated sedimentary processes. Three types of the continental slope are distinguished:(1) a rough and steep slope with multiple igneous bodies(Type 1),(2) a relatively smooth and gentle slope with the single igneous body(Type 2), and(3) a smooth and gentle slope without igneous bodies(Type 3). These igneous bodies, formed in the post-seafloor spreading of the South China Sea, are often characterized by high positive seismic amplitudes, and chaotic reflections with complex shapes. The igneous bodies in Type 1 separated the slope into two or more upper sub-sags and a lower main-sag, in which the sub-sags and main-sag could be filled with sediments transported by alongslope bottom currents at the same time. Whereas, the igneous body in Type 2 just separated the slope into an upper sub-sag and a lower main-sag, in which the sediments could be transported into the lower main-sag only after the upper sub-sag has been filled up. Type 3 represents a normal slope with common clinoform progradation. The modern slope morphologies in the study area are the results of adjustments of the continental slope due to the intrusion of igneous bodies and associated sedimentary processes. The distinctions among three types of modern slope morphologies indicate different depositional conditions and adjustments of slope morphologies.

Distribution of Organic Matter,Iron,Mangenese in Surface Sediments in the Nansha Islands Sea Area,South China Sea

Concentrations of organic matter, iron and manganese in the deep sea surface sediments in the Nansha Islands sea area, South China Sea are measured. Horizontal and vertical distributions of iron and manganese are discussed. The vertical distribution of iron and manganese in the sediments results from reduction, diffusion, and redeposition of manganese (or iron) oxide and hydroxide in the sediment. There are the maxima of iron and manganese in solid phase in the top of the sediment, which is caused by the penetration of O2 and the upward flux of Mn2+ ( or Fe2+ ). Manganese bacteria play a very important role in the cycle of solid-phase iron and manganese in the ocean environment. Manganese bacteria oxidize Mn2+ ( or Fe2+ ) in dissolved state to Mn4+ ( or Fe3+ ) in oxidized state under the aerobic condition, whereas they reduce iron and manganese in anaerobic conditions.

Geochemistry of Soil Formation in Sonth China SeaIslands

The soils in the South China Sea Islands (SCSI) were divided into three types, namely, phospho-calc soils,skeletisols and coastic solonchaks, which were derived from bio-clastic and strongly calcareous sediments. Incomparison with their parent materials, the phospho-calc soils have higher contents of P, Zn, Cu, Ba, and Cd,which tend to increase gradually with time, and lower contents of Mg, Ca, Sr, B, V, Pb, and Mo, which tendto decrease by degrees with time. The above-mentioned constitnents in skeletisols and coastic solonchaks aresimilar to those in their parent materials except for P and Na. The factors atfecting element distribution aremainly special bioclimate and parent material, meanwhile, resulting in the remarkable iulluence on elementdistribution through soil-forming time.

Statistical characteristics of mesoscale eddies on the continental slope in the northern South China Sea

The continental slope in the northern South China Sea(SCS) is rich in mesoscale eddies which play an important role in transport and retention of nutrients and biota. In this study, we investigate the statistical properties of eddy distributions and propagation in a period of 24 years between 1993 and 2016 by using the altimeter data. A total of 147 eddies are found in the continental slope region(CSR), including 70 cyclonic eddies(CEs) and 77 anticyclonic eddies(ACEs). For those eddies that appear in the CSR, the surrounding areas of Dongsha Islands(DS) and southwest of Taiwan(SWT) are considered as the primary sources, where eddies generated contribute more than 60% of the total. According to the spatial distribution of eddy relative vorticity, eddies are weakening as propagating westward. Although both CEs and ACEs roughly propagate along the slope isobaths, there are discrepancies between CEs and ACEs. The ACEs move slightly faster in the zonal direction, while the CEs tend to cross the isobaths with large bottom depth change. The ACEs generally move further into the basin areas after leaving the CSR while CEs remain around the CSR. The eddy propagation on the continental slope is likely to be associated with mean flow at a certain degree because the eddy trajectories have notable seasonal signals that are consistent with the seasonal cycle of geostrophic current. The results indicate that the eddy translation speed is statistically consistent with geostrophic velocity in both magnitude and direction.

Optical and SAR image registration based on improved nonsubsampled wavelet transform for sea islands

Homologous feature point extraction is a key problem in the optical and synthetic aperture radar （SAR） image registration for islands. A new feature point extraction method using a threshold shrink operator and non-subsampled wavelet transform （TSO-NSWT） for optical and SAR image registration was proposed. Moreover, the matching for this proposed feature was different from the traditional feature matching strategies and was performed using a similarity measure computed from neighborhood circles in low-frequency bands. Then, a number of reliably matched couples with even distributions were obtained, which assured the accuracy of the registration. Application of the proposed algorithm to SPOT-5 （multi-spectral） and YG-1 （SAR） images showed that a large number of accurately matched couples could be identified. Additionally, both of the root mean square error （RMSE） patterns of the registration parameters computed based on the TSO-NSWT algorithm and traditional NSWT algorithm were analyzed and compared, which further demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The algorithm can supply the crucial step for island image registration and island recognition.

南海渔民生计脆弱性的内生问题——基于广东硇洲岛的田野调查

使用田野工作法,调查了广东硇洲岛渔民生计脆弱性的内生问题。研究发现,渔民因海洋生态保护所遭遇的已经显露的生活困境,或许能在政府的扶持下有所改善,但那些更多的隐性风险——内部竞争、社会保障、文化适应等生计,遭受前所未有的挑战,渔民生产工具的投入、自身的技能、年龄与身份的模糊性,构成其内生的生计脆弱性,在现代消费市场的刺激下容易对海洋资源造成破坏性作用。基于马克思关于生产力与生产关系的理论,渔民生计的脆弱性内生于生产力快速提高导致的其自身技能未进行更迭,未能建立适应生产力需求的新的生产关系,因而造成人海关系的紧张。要解决渔民生计的脆弱性内生问题,需从渔民的文化特殊性出发,由内而外地改革渔民的生产关系,更新渔民的技能、建立有效的组织,逐步缓解人海关系的紧张状态,以实现人类-海洋命运共同体的构建。

近代外交转型视域下的南海海疆交涉

近代以来,海疆危机频发,海疆交涉频繁。先后有清末中日东沙主权交涉、民国中日东沙海产纠纷交涉、中法西沙群岛主权交涉以及南海九小岛交涉等。南海海疆交涉仰赖外交部门主持大局,更离不开广东地方政府的参与和支持。随着地方外交权限的削弱,海疆交涉一度呈现出中央、地方分别主导或互相合作的复杂局面。

海南岛历史台风浪模拟和评估

采用历史情景数值再现的方法研究了海南岛附近海域的台风浪灾害。基于中国国家气象局热带气旋中心的1959—2021年的热带气旋最佳路径数据集,通过模型风场与欧洲中尺度气象中心的再分析背景风场叠加构造热带气旋风场,结合第三代波浪模型模拟台风浪过程。将数值结果与2016年台风“萨莉嘉”和2022年台风“暹芭”期间波浪台站的测波数据进行了对比,证明了模型模拟精度良好。本文模拟再现了682场热带气旋过程中的风浪,基于模拟结果统计绘制了海南岛周边海域不同重现期波高的空间分布,并初步对海南岛沿岸台风浪的波高、波向和波周期特点进行评估。