Characterizing the influence of tide on the physico-chemical parameters and nutrient variability in the coastal surface water of the northern Bay of Bengal during the winter season

The spatial distribution of physico-chemical parameters（sea surface temperature（SST）, p H, sea surface salinity（SSS）, dissolved oxygen（DO） and Secchi depth） along with filterable nutrients（dissolved inorganic nitrate（DIN）,dissolved inorganic phosphate（DIP） and reactive silicate（DSi）） are measured in the winter months of November,December, January and February for four consecutive years from 2009–2010 to 2012–2013 on the shallow continental shelf（〈20 m bathymetry） of the coastal waters（up to 18 km away from shoreline） of the northern Bay of Bengal（n Bo B） during the highest high tide（HHT） and lowest low tide（LLT） hours for the first time. The variability of the coastal biogeochemical environment is assessed during the HHT and LLT hours and for this purpose, seawater samples are collected from seven different locations of a transect in the coastal region. Physicochemical parameters（except SST） show significant difference in magnitude during the HHT and LLT hours respectively. p H, SSS and DO are found to increase in the HHT hours and vice-versa. The data reveal that during the LLT hours, a relative increase of freshwater input in the n Bo B can have elevated the nutrient concentration compared with that observed during the HHT hours. The ratio of nutrient concentration is found to deviate significantly from the Redfield ratio. The abundance of DIP is much higher compared with that of DIN and DSi.The anthropogenic sources of DIP from the upstream flow（especially the domestic effluent of several metropolises） can be mainly attributed behind such an observation. In order to characterize and establish the trend of such variation in such an important bio-climatic region, long-term and systematic ecosystem monitoring in the coastal water of the n Bo B northern Bay of Bengal should be carried out throughout the year.

Seasonal variation of selected trace elements in rare endemic species Thuriferous Juniper growing in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria

We used energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence（EDXRF） to determine the seasonal variation of selected trace elements（Cr, Mn, Zn, Cu, Se and Fe） and some potential toxic elements（Cd, Pb and Br） in Juniperus thurifera subsp. africana Maire（Cupressaceae） a rare medicinal tree, growing indigenously in Aures Mountains of Algeria. The precision of the results was assessed by analyzing the certified reference material IPE44（WEPAL）grass leaves. Results showed J. thurifera was characterized by high Cr and Mn contents. During autumn and winter mineral concentrations were higher in general. The levels of Cr, Se and Mn were higher during autumn and winter than during spring and summer. Zn contents were higher during summer than in other seasons. Cu content did not vary by season. The potential toxic elements in J. thurifera（Pb [ Cd [ Br） were below the permissible limits recommended by the Joint WHO/FAO guidelines except for Pb in autumn and winter.

The spatio-temporal variation of wintertime subtidal currents in the western Taiwan Strait

A new data set of observations by six cruises of ship-mounted acoustic doppler current profiler（SADCP） and three 40 d long bottom-mounted ADCPs（BADCPs） is employed to reveal the spatiotemporal variability of tidal and subtidal currents in the western Taiwan Strait（TWS） during winter season. The results confirm the existence of intense cotidal lines for M2 tidal current, which is located north of 25°N. In this case, no existence of an amphidromic point can be identified. It is also revealed that the counter-wind current（CWC） can extend through the whole western TWS and even occupy the entire water column during winter monsoon relaxation. However,this CWC is observed to be thoroughly overwhelmed by the downwind China coastal current（CCC） during the two big monsoon bloom events in the winter of 2007, and the CCC consequently extends southward throughout the western TWS instead. Most importantly, the variation of the spatial extent for the CWC and the CCC in the western TWS is found to be well explained by the first two modes of the vector empirical orthogonal function（VEOF） analysis, that is, it is mainly controlled by a wind-driven quasi barotropic current as the first mode and slightly modulated by a relatively weak background current with a first-order baroclinic structure as the second mode.

Definition and characteristics of the south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon in East Asian

Based on observational daily data of 730 meteorological stations in China, the south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon is defined according to relevant criterion and its variation characteristics are analyzed. Results show that this south edge has obvious inter-annual variation characteristics and shows a northward moving tendency as a whole, but since the 21 st century it has moved southwards and date of the south edge entering winter becomes earlier. Wind fields of the anomalously northward south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon in East Asia has an obvious southerly wind component which prevents cold air from moving southward. The index of this south edge and winter temperature has a positive correlation. Climate warming might be the main reason for the northward movement of the south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon.

The Gray Mouse Lemur: A Model for Studies of Primate Metabolic Rate Depression

The use of daily torpor and/or of multi-day torpor bouts during a hibernation season are energy-saving survival strategies that have been well-studied for many years,particularly for small mammals living in seasonally-cold environments.Both phenomena are characterized by a regulated suppression of metabolic rate,