Multi-scenario Simulation and Spatial-temporal Analysis of LUCC in China's Coastal Zone Based on Coupled SD-FLUS Model

Increased human activities in China's coastal zone have resulted in the depletion of ecological land resources.Thus,conducting current and future multi-scenario simulation research on land use and land cover change(LUCC)is crucial for guiding the healthy and sustainable development of coastal zones.System dynamic(SD)-future land use simulation(FLUS)model,a coupled simulation model,was developed to analyze land use dynamics in China's coastal zone.This model encompasses five scenarios,namely,SSP1-RCP2.6(A),SSP2-RCP4.5(B),SSP3-RCP4.5(C),SSP4-RCP4.5(D),and SSP5-RCP8.5(E).The SD model simulates land use demand on an annual basis up to the year 2100.Subsequently,the FLUS model determines the spatial distribution of land use for the near term(2035),medium term(2050),and long term(2100).Results reveal a slowing trend in land use changes in China's coastal zone from 2000–2020.Among these changes,the expansion rate of construction land was the highest and exhibited an annual decrease.By 2100,land use predictions exhibit high accuracy,and notable differences are observed in trends across scenarios.In summary,the expansion of production,living,and ecological spaces toward the sea remains prominent.Scenario A emphasizes reduced land resource dependence,benefiting ecological land protection.Scenario B witnesses an intensified expansion of artificial wetlands.Scenario C sees substantial land needs for living and production,while Scenario D shows coastal forest and grassland shrinkage.Lastly,in Scenario E,the conflict between humans and land intensifies.This study presents pertinent recommendations for the future development,utilization,and management of coastal areas in China.The research contributes valuable scientific support for informed,long-term strategic decision making within coastal regions.

Effects of Vegetation Restoration Age on Soil C:N:P Stoichiometry in Yellow River Delta Coastal Wetland of China

Vegetation restoration can alter carbon(C),nitrogen(N),and phosphorus(P)cycles in coastal wetlands affecting C:N:P stoichiometry.However,the effects of restoration age on soil C:N:P stoichiometry are unclear.In this study,we examined the re-sponses of soil C,N,and P contents and their stoichiometric ratios to vegetation restoration age,focusing on below-ground processes and their relationships to aboveground vegetation community characteristics.We conducted an analysis of temporal gradients based on the'space for time'method to synthesize the effects of restoration age on soil C:N:P stoichiometry in the Yellow River Delta wetland of China.The findings suggest that the combined effects of restoration age and soil depth create complex patterns of shifting soil C:N:P stoichiometry.Specifically,restoration age significantly increased all topsoil C:N:P stoichiometries,except for soil total phosphorus(TP)and the C:N ratio,and slightly affected subsoil C:N:P stoichiometry.The effects of restoration age on the soil C:N ratio was well constrained owing to the coupled relationship between soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)contents,while soil TP con-tent was closely related to changes in plant species diversity.Importantly,we found that the topsoil C:N:P stoichiometry was signific-antly affected by plant species diversity,whereas the subsoil C:N:P stoichiometry was more easily regulated by pH and electric con-ductivity(EC).Overall,this study shows that vegetation restoration age elevated SOC and N contents and alleviated N limitation,which is useful for further assessing soil C:N:P stoichiometry in coastal restoration wetlands.

Spatial-temporal Characteristics of Land Use Intensity of Coastal Zone in China During 2000–2010

Based on remote sensing and GIS techniques, land use maps in 2000, 2005 and 2010 in China′s coastal zone were produced, and structural raster data of land use were further generated to calculate land use intensity comprehensive index(LUICI) for analyzing land use spatial-temporal characteristics at 1 km scale. Results show that: 1) from the perspective of spatial patterns of landforms at a macro scale, there is a significant difference in land use intensity between the north and the south of China′s coastal zone. Hotspots of changes mainly concentrated in metropolitan areas, estuaries and coastal wetlands; 2) elevation is an important factor that controlling land use spatial patterns at local scale. Land use intensity is much higher within areas below the elevation of 400 m and it decreased significantly as the elevation increasing; 3) there is a significant land-ocean gradient for land use intensity, which is low in island and near-shore areas, but high in the regions that 4–30 km far away the coastline because of much intensive human activities; however, in recent decades land use intensity had been promoted significantly in low near-shore area due to extensive sea reclamations; 4) significant differences of land use intensity were also found among provincial administrative units. A rising trend of land use intensity was found in provincial-level administrative units from 2000 to 2010. To sum up, elevation, land-ocean gradient, socio-economic status and policy are all influencing factors to the spatial patterns and temporal variations of land use intensity in China′s coastal zone.

Estimation and verification of green tide biomass based on UAV remote sensing

Since 2007,the Yellow Sea green tide has broken out every summer,causing great harm to the environment and society.Although satellite remote sensing(RS)has been used in biomass research,there are several shortcomings,such as mixed pixels,atmospheric interference,and difficult field validation.The biomass of green tide has been lacking a high-precision estimation method.In this study,high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)RS was used to quantitatively map the biomass of green tides.By utilizing experimental data from previous studies,a robust relationship was established to link biomass to the red-green-blue floating algae index(RGB-FAI).Then,the lab-based model for green tide biomass from visible images taken by the UAV camera was developed and validated by field measurements.Re sults show that the accurate and cost-effective method is able to estimate the green tide biomass and its changes in given local waters of the near and far seas.The study provided an effective complement to the traditional satellite RS,as well as high-precision quantitative techniques for decision-making in disaster management.

Activity Pattern and Habitat Use of Shorebirds in an Artificial Wetland Complex:A Case Study of Breeding Pied Avocet in the Yellow River Delta,China

With the loss of substantial natural wetlands in coastal zones,artificial wetlands provide alternative habitats for many shorebirds.Scientific management of artificial wetlands used by shorebirds plays an important role in maintaining the stability of shorebird population.Satellite tracking technique can obtain high-precision location information of individuals day and night,providing a good technical support for the study of quantitative relationship between waterfowls and their habitats.In this study,satellite tracking method,Remote Sensing(RS)and Geographic Information System(GIS)technology were used to analyze the activity pattern and habitat utilization characteristics of Pied Avocet during breeding period in an artificial wetland complex in the Yellow River Delta(YRD),China.The results showed that the breeding Pied Avocets had a small range of activity,with a total core and main home range of 33.10 km^(2) and 216.30 km^(2),respectively.This species tended to forage in the pond and salt pan during the day and night,respectively,with an unfixed staying time in the breeding ground.The distance between breeding ground and feeding ground was less than 6 km.It is emphasized that in addition to improving the conditions of the remaining natural habitats,effective managing artificial habitats is a priority for shorebird conservation.This research could provide reference for the management of artificial wetlands in coastal zones and supply technique support for the protection of shorebirds and their habitats,and alleviate human-bird conflicts and sustainable development of coastal zones.

Spatiotemporal variation of land surface temperature and its driving factors in Xinjiang,China

Land surface temperature(LST) directly affects the energy balance of terrestrial surface systems and impacts regional resources, ecosystem evolution, and ecosystem structures. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is located at the arid Northwest China and is extremely sensitive to climate change. There is an urgent need to understand the distribution patterns of LST in this area and quantitatively measure the nature and intensity of the impacts of the major driving factors from a spatial perspective, as well as elucidate the formation mechanisms. In this study, we used the MOD11C3 LST product developed on the basis of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) to conduct regression analysis and determine the spatiotemporal variation and differentiation pattern of LST in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2020. We analyzed the driving mechanisms of spatial heterogeneity of LST in Xinjiang and the six geomorphic zones(the Altay Mountains, Junggar Basin, Tianshan Mountains, Tarim Basin, Turpan-Hami(Tuha) Basin, and Pakakuna Mountain Group) using geographical detector(Geodetector) and geographically weighted regression(GWR) models. The warming rate of LST in Xinjiang during the study period was 0.24℃/10a, and the spatial distribution pattern of LST had obvious topographic imprints, with 87.20% of the warming zone located in the Gobi desert and areas with frequent human activities, and the cooling zone mainly located in the mountainous areas. The seasonal LST in Xinjiang was at a cooling rate of 0.09℃/10a in autumn, and showed a warming trend in other seasons. Digital elevation model(DEM), latitude, wind speed, precipitation, normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI), and sunshine duration in the single-factor and interactive detections were the key factors driving the LST changes. The direction and intensity of each major driving factor on the spatial variations of LST in the study area were heterogeneous. The negative feedback effect of DEM on the spatial differentiation of LST was the strongest. Lower latitudes, lower vegetation coverage, lower levels of precipitation, and longer sunshine duration increased LST. Unused land was the main heat source landscape, water body was the most important heat sink landscape, grassland and forest land were the land use and land cover(LULC) types with the most prominent heat sink effect, and there were significant differences in different geomorphic zones due to the influences of their vegetation types, climatic conditions, soil types, and human activities. The findings will help to facilitate sustainable climate change management, analyze local climate and environmental patterns, and improve land management strategies in Xinjiang and other arid areas.

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.

Spatiotemporal variation and freeze-thaw asymmetry of Arctic sea ice in multiple dimensions during 1979 to 2020

Arctic sea ice is broadly regarded as an indicator and amplifier of global climate change.The rapid changes in Arctic sea ice have been widely concerned.However,the spatiotemporal changes in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of Arctic sea ice and its asymmetry during the melt and freeze seasons are rarely quantified simultaneously based on multiple sources of the same long time series.In this study,the spatiotemporal variation and freeze-thaw asymmetry of Arctic sea ice were investigated from both the horizontal and vertical dimensions during 1979–2020 based on remote sensing and assimilation data.The results indicated that Arctic sea ice was declining at a remarkably high rate of–5.4×10^(4) km^(2)/a in sea ice area(SIA)and–2.2 cm/a in sea ice thickness(SIT)during 1979 to 2020,and the reduction of SIA and SIT was the largest in summer and the smallest in winter.Spatially,compared with other sub-regions,SIA showed a sharper declining trend in the Barents Sea,Kara Sea,and East Siberian Sea,while SIT presented a larger downward trend in the northern Canadian Archipelago,northern Greenland,and the East Siberian Sea.Regarding to the seasonal trend of sea ice on sub-region scale,the reduction rate of SIA exhibited an apparent spatial heterogeneity among seasons,especially in summer and winter,i.e.,the sub-regions linked to the open ocean exhibited a higher decline rate in winter;however,the other sub-regions blocked by the coastlines presented a greater decline rate in summer.For SIT,the sub-regions such as the Beaufort Sea,East Siberian Sea,Chukchi Sea,Central Arctic,and Canadian Archipelago always showed a higher downward rate in all seasons.Furthermore,a striking freeze-thaw asymmetry of Arctic sea ice was also detected.Comparing sea ice changes in different dimensions,sea ice over most regions in the Arctic showed an early retreat and rapid advance in the horizontal dimension but late melting and gradual freezing in the vertical dimension.The amount of sea ice melting and freezing was disequilibrium in the Arctic during the considered period,and the rate of sea ice melting was 0.3×10^(4) km^(2)/a and 0.01 cm/a higher than that of freezing in the horizontal and vertical dimensions,respectively.Moreover,there were notable shifts in the melting and freezing of Arctic sea ice in 1997/2003 and 2000/2004,respectively,in the horizontal/vertical dimension.

Production traits and fertility of reciprocal hybrids between Argopecten irradians irradians and A.i.concentricus

The two bay scallop subspecies,Argopecten irradians irradians(NN)and A.i.concentricus(SS),are fast growing and major cultured bivalves in China.However,their relatively small sizes and decreasing production traits caused by long-term inbreeding have been major concerns to the industry in the last two decades.Hybridization between the two bay scallop subspecies may provide a new approach to breed a new variety with superior production traits for the industry.For this end,in this study,we hybridized the two bay scallop subspecies in order to obtain a new strain that incorporates the genes of both subspecies.No significant difference was found in fertilization rate,hatching rate and metamorphosis rate between the purebred and crossbred cohorts(NN♀×SS♂,denoted as NS;SS♀×NN♂,denoted as SN).Both mating strategy(intra-vs.inter-population crosses)and egg origin had significant effects on growth and survival at the larval stage.Heterosis was observed in the crossbred and was more pronounced in older stages.Genetic diversity of the reciprocal hybrids,especially that of SN,was increased compared with the purebred cohorts.Almost all hybrids were completely fertile and able to reproduce by selffertilization or by backcrossing with either parent.Apparently,male sterile individuals whose gonads were fully occupied by the ovary part at mature stage were found in the hybrids for the first time.The hybrids,especially SN,may provide precious germplasm resources for the production of ternary hybrids with the Peruvian scallop,A.purpuratus.

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of DIN and DIP Concentrations and Source Apportionment Along the Bohai Sea of China During 2015-2022

The Bohai Sea is one of the most polluted sea areas in China.In this study,we used 2184 integrated concentrations of dis-solved inorganic nitrogen(DIN)and dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP)in the Bohai Sea of China during spring(March,April,and May),summer(June,July,and August),and autumn(October and November)from 2015 to 2022 to explore the trends and sources of nutrients variations.From 2015 to 2022,DIN showed a downward trend until 2020 and then an upward trend,whereas DIP exhibited a stable trend with a slight decrease.The concentrations of DIN and DIP had similar seasonal pattern which was the highest in autumn(0.292±0.247 mg/L for DIN and 0.013±0.016 mg/L for DIP)but lower in spring(0.267±0.238 mg/L for DIN and 0.006±0.010 mg/L for DIP)and summer(0.263±0.324 mg/L for DIN and 0.008±0.010 mg/L for DIP).Sources of DIN and DIP apportioned by the positive matrix factorization(PMF)model were riverine input,sediment resuspension,sewage discharge,atmospheric deposition,and underground input.During 2015-2022,the largest contributor to DIN was sewage discharge(28.7%)and the largest contributor to DIP was sediment resuspension(44.6%).Seasonally,DIN in spring and autumn was dominated by sewage discharge(45.4%and 27.8%,re-spectively).Whereas in summer,it was dominated by riverine input(32.4%)and atmospheric deposition(29.7%).DIP was dominated by sediment resuspension during all three seasons(35.8%-52.5%).In addition,the increase in DIN concentrations in 2021 and 2022 were mainly due to the incremental input of river discharge and atmospheric deposition caused by increased precipitation during sum-mer and autumn.

Nitrogen Biological Cycle Characteristics of Seepweed(Suaeda salsa) Wetland in Intertidal Zone of Huanghe(Yellow) River Estuary

From April 2008 to November 2009, the nitrogen （N） cycle of plant-soil system in seepweed （Suaeda salsa） wetland in the intertidal zone of the Huanghe （Yellow） River estuary was studied. Results showed that soil N had sig- nificant seasonal fluctuations and vertical distribution, and the net N mineralization rates in topsoil were significantly different in growing season （p 〈 0.01）. The N/P ratio （9.87 ±1.23） of S. salsa was less than 14, indicating that plant growth was limited by N. The N accumulated in S. salsa litter at all times during decomposition, which was ascribed to the N immobilization by microbes from the environment. Soil organic N was the main N stock of plant-soil system, accounting for 97.35% of the total N stock. The N absorption and utilization coefficients of S. salsa were very low （0.0145 and 0.3844, respectively）, while the N cycle coefficient was high （0.7108）. The results of the N turnovers among compartments of S. salsa wetland showed that the N uptake amount of aboveground part and root were 7.764 g/m2and 4.332 g/m2, respectively. The N translocation amounts from aboveground part to root and from root to soil were 3.881 g/m2 and 0.626 g/m2, respectively. The N translocation amount from aboveground living body to litter was 3.883 g/m2, the annual N return amount from litter to soil was more than 0.125（-） g/m2 （minus represented immobili- zation）, and the net N mineralization amount in topsoil （0-15 cm） in growing season was 1.190 g/m2. The assessment of N biological cycle status orS. salsa wetland indicated that N was a very important limiting factor and the ecosystem was situated in unstable and vulnerable status. The S. salsa was seemingly well adapted to the low-nutrient status and vulnerable habitat, and the N quantitative relationships determined in the compartment model might provide scientific base for us to reveal the special adaptive strategy orS. salsa to the vulnerable habitat in the following studies.

occurrence and microscopic analyses of multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes from coastal sediments in the Yellow Sea

Multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes （MMPs） are a group of aggregates composed of 7-45 gram-negative cells synthesizing intracellular magnetic crystals. Although they are thought to be globally distributed, MMPs have been observed only in marine environments in America and Europe. Most MMPs share a rosette-like morphology and biomineralize iron sulfide crystals. In the present study, abundant MMPs were observed, with a density of 26 ind./cm^3, in the sediments of a coastal lagoon, Lake Yuehu, in the Yellow Sea. Optical microscopy showed that all of them were rosette shaped with a diameter of 5.5±0.8 μm. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that these MMPs were composed of 10- 16 ovoid cells and flagellated peritrichously. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis indicated that they biomineralized bullet-shaped magnetite crystals in highly organized parallel chains within which the magnetosomes were oriented in the same direction. This is the first report of MMPs from Asia and demonstrates the ubiquitous distribution of MMPs.

Protist Interactions and Seasonal Dynamics in the Coast of Yantai, Northern Yellow Sea of China as Revealed by Metabarcoding

Facilitated by the high-throughput sequencing(HTS)technique,the importance of protists to aquatic systems has been widely acknowledged in the last decade.However,information of protistan biotic interactions and seasonal dynamics is much less known in the coast ecosystem with intensive anthropic disturbance.In this study,year-round changes of protist community composition and diversity in the coastal water of Yantai,a city along the northern Yellow Sea in China,were investigated using HTS for the V4 region of 18S rDNA.The interactions among protist groups were also analyzed using the co-occurrence network.Data analyses showed that Alveolata,Chlorophyta,and Stramenopiles are the most dominant phytoplanktonic protists in the investigated coastal area.The community composition displayed strong seasonal variation.The abundant families Dino-Group-I-Clade-1 and Ulotrichales_X had higher proportions in spring and summer,while Bathycoccaceae exhibited higher ratios in autumn and winter.Alpha diversities(Shannon and Simpson)were the highest in autumn and the lowest in spring(ANOVA test,P<0.05).Nutrients(SiO42−,PO43−),total organic carbon(TOC),and pH seemed to drive the variation of alpha diversity,while temperature,PO43−and TON were the most significant factors influencing the whole protist community.Co-variance network analyses reveal frequent co-occurrence events among ciliates,chlorophytes and dinoflagellate,suggesting biotic interactions have been induced by predation,parasitism and mixotrophy.

Temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of macroalgal communities along the Yantai coast, China

To explore the impact of environmental variables on macroalgal communities, their temporal and spatial distributions were examined along the Yantai coast, China between April 2010 and March 2011. Macroalgae sampling was conducted monthly at four sites along the coast: Jiahe River estuary, Zhifu Island, Fisherman's Wharf, and Yangma Island. The species composition and abundance, and their relationship with environmental variables were assessed. Along the Yantai coast, 35 macroalgae species were identifi ed, including 24 Rhodophyta spp., 7 Chlorophyta, and 4 Phaeophyta spp. Highest species numbers were recorded in the summer at all sampling sites, except in the Jiahe River estuary. Macroalgae biomass was the greatest in the summer. Year-round, the highest species number and dry biomass recorded at Fisherman's Wharf and Yangma Island was attributed to the substrate type. In summer, Ulva pertusa Kjellman was the dominant species identifi ed along the Yantai coast, which indicates a risk of macroalgae blooms. Our results show that seawater temperature and nutrients appear to signifi cantly affect the temporal and spatial patterns of macroalgal abundance along the Yantai coast. The effects of environmental variables on the macroalgae on the Yantai coast need further study.

Anthropogenic impacts on hyperbenthos in the coastal waters of Sishili Bay,Yellow Sea

A survey on the hyperbenthic communities was carried out in the coastal waters of Sishili Bay in the Yellow Sea in July 2009,to investigate the impact of putative anthropogenic activities related to the presence of a sewage outfall,a harbor and an aquaculture site on the benthic ecosystem.An Agassiz net trawl was used to collect hyperbenthos at 10 sampling stations.Species,diversity,abundance,and biomass were analyzed against water sample data and historical data obtained from records from nearby Yantai City.Fifty-two species were identified in the region,of which Crustacea were the most abundant taxon,followed by Echinodermata.Dominant species included five crustaceans,two echinoderms,one mollusk and one fish species.The results of a BIOENV analysis show that the concentrations of NO3-N and Chl-a were slightly positively correlated with hyperbenthic community structure,while other factors were negatively correlated,including sediment grain size and the percentage of TN and TOC in sediment.Abundance- Biomass Comparison(ABC method) curves indicate that the hyperbenthos in Sishili Bay had been disturbed by putative sources of human activities.Eight out of 10 stations were classified as "moderately perturbed" to "perturbed".

Molecular diversity of Enteromorpha from the coast of Yantai:a dual-marker assessment

We collected nine Enteromorpha specimens from the coast of Yantai and evaluated their diversity based on analyses of their ITS(internal transcribed spacer) and 5S rDNA NTS(non-transcribed spacer) sequences.The ITS sequences showed slight nucleotide divergences between Enteromorpha linza and Enteromorpha prolifera.In contrast,multiple highly variable regions were found in the ITS region of Enteromorpha flexuosa.In general,there were more variable sites in the NTS region than in the ITS region in the three species.The variations in 5S rDNA NTS sequences indicated that the molecular diversity of Enteromorpha from the coast of Yantai is very high.However,a phylogenetic tree constructed using 5S rDNA NTS sequence data indicated that genetic differences were not directly related to geographical distribution.

Examining Health of Wetlands with Multiple Ecosystem Services as Targets in China’s Coastal Regions

Coastal zones are key interconnectors of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.Due to the degradation and fragmentation of coastal wetlands,there is an urgent need to develop assessment methodology to compare the health of wetland ecosystems at different spatial scales.This will help efficiently develop and implement protections using easy-to-access ecosystem health data.This study aims to understand the spatial distribution of coastal and inland wetland health for China’s coastal regions.A Wetland Health Index(WHI)was developed to provide a basis for policy and decision making.Four utilization models—Long Term Model,Open Model,Nature Reserve Model,and Protected and Economic Model—were defined in the context of China’s coastal regions to specifically examine wetland health.Results show that the average WHI score was 63.6 with the range of 44.8–84.3 for 35 National Nature Reserves(NNRs),and the southern NNRs generally performed better than the northern NNRs.The wetlands in the southern provinces/municipalities are relatively healthier than their northern counterparts.The competent authority has slight influence on WHI scores but duration of conservation establishment does not show a clear correlation.With increasing economic activity,the differences in health conditions(WHI scores)of China’s coastal regions also increase.Gross Domestic Product(GDP)or economic intensification does not relate to WHI scores.Appropriate trade-offs between wetland management and economic development could contribute to improve health conditions,conservation and utilization of coastal and inland wetlands.

Structure elucidation and in vitro rat intestinal fermentation properties of a novel sulfated glucogalactan from Porphyra haitanensis

This study was to investigate the structure and rat fecal microbial fermentation properties of a polysaccharide fraction(PHP2)isolated from the red marine alga Porphyra haitanensis.PHP2 was characterized as a sulfated glucogalactan,with a hypothetical backbone structure of→4)Gα(1→6)G4 Sβ(1→4)Glc(1→and a side chain of Man(1→6)Glc.PHP2 had an irregular spherical chain conformation.The 16 S r RNA sequence analysis revealed that PHP2 modulated the rat fecal micro-flora composition,with a similar effect to inulin,changing the dominant genus(Lactobacillus and Escherichia-Shigella)and promoting the growth of organisms that degrade sulfur-containing polysaccharides,such as Desulfovibrio,Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005,and Ruminococcus_2.PHP2 can promote production of acetic,propionic and butyric acid by rat fecal micro-flora.Prediction of metabolic function suggested that PHP2 could modulate cholesterol metabolism.The sulfated glucogalactan fermentation behavior may be associated with its monosaccharide composition,chain branching and chain conformation.PHP2 appeared to have considerable potential as functional food,and was associated with sulfur-containing polysaccharides in general.

Occurrence and Identification of the Hydromedusae Sarsia tubulosa(Hydrozoa, Corynidae) in Chinese Coastal Waters

Sarsia tubulosa(M. Sars, 1835) belongs to the family Corynidae, and is mainly distributed in coastal boreal and arctic waters. During regular zooplankton sampling in a coastal artificial lake(Lake Fenghuang) near the northern Yellow Sea(36?55?N, 122?24?E) in May 2015, we found high densities of Sarsia sp. in the zooplankton samples. The mean density of the medusae was 50± 40 individuals m^(-3)(mean ± SD). These specimens were characterized by a long tube-like manubrium and were consistent with previous descriptions of S. tubulosa. Furthermore, a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I subunit gene fragments revealed that these individuals clustered with S. tubulosa. Therefore, based on both morphological and molecular data, these specimens were identified as S. tubulosa. This report represents the first formal record of S. tubulosa in Chinese coastal waters, which extended its known geographical distribution.

Impact of tropical cyclone Matmo on mixed zone of the Yellow and Bohai Seas

The Bohai Sea is a low-lying semi-enclosed sea area that is linked to the Yellow Sea via the Bohai straits(mixed zone). Its of fshore seabed is shallow, which makes it vulnerable to serious marine meteorological disasters associated with the northward passage of Pacific tropical cyclones. Analyses on data of remote sensing and buoy of the mixed zone of the Yellow and Bohai seas indicate that all the wind speed, significant wave height, and salinity(SAL) increased, sea surface temperature decreased, and wind energy density changed considerably during the passage of tropical cyclone Matmo on July 25, 2014. It was found that the SAL inversion layer in the mixed zone of the Yellow and Bohai Seas was caused by the tropical cyclone. Furthermore, it was found that the tropical cyclone transported the northern Yellow Sea cold water mass(NYSCWM) into the mixed zone of the Yellow and Bohai Seas. The NYSCWM has direct influence on both the aquaculture and the ecological environment of the region. Therefore, further research is needed to establish the mechanism behind the formation of the SAL inversion layer in the mixed zone, and to determine the influence of tropical cyclones on the NYSCWM.