The small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) belongs to the family Sciaenidae, which is an offshore warm fish species and widely distributed in the western Pacific. In this study, the variation of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation among L. polyactis populations was analyzed by mitochondrial DNA control region. A total of 110 polymorphic sites were checked, which defined 134 haplotypes. High level of haplotype diversity (h=0.993±0.002) was detected in the examined range. Population genetic structure analyse (analysis of molecular variance, F_st) showed there were high gene flow among L. polyactis populations. The result showed that there were relatively high genetic diversity and low genetic differentiation among the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea populations, which can be attributed to diverse habitats, wide distribution range and high mutation rate of control region. Using phylogenetic methods, coalescent analyses (neutrality tests, mismatch distribution analysis, Bayesian skyline analyses) and molecular dating interpreted in conjunction with paleoclimatic and physiographic evidence, we inferred that the genetic make-up of extant populations of L. polyactis was shaped by Pleistocene environmental impacts on the historical demography of this species. Besides, relatively constant genetic diversity and larger effective population size were detected in recent L. polyactis population. The result showed that the fishing policy certainly, such as the summer closed fishing, played a role in protecting resources of L. polyactis. This study can offer a wealth of biological novelties which indicates genetic structure of L. polyactis population and provides the foundation for resources protection and policy setting.

The flux of settling particles in the ocean has been widely explored since 1980s due to its important role in biogenic elements cycling, especially in the transport of particulate organic carbon (POC) in the deep sea. However, research in the seamount area of the oligotrophic subtropical Northwest Pacific Ocean is lacking. In this work, two sediment traps were deployed at the foot and another two at the hillside of Niulang Guyot from August 2017 to July 2018. The magnitude and composition of particle fluxes were measured. The main factors influencing the spatial variations of the fluxes were evaluated. Our results indicated a low particulate flux from Niulang Guyot area in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, reflecting low primary productivity of the oligotrophic ocean. The total mass flux (TMF) decreased from 2.57 g/(m²·a) to 0.56 g/(m²·a) with increasing depth from 600 m to 4 850 m. A clear seasonal pattern of TMF was observed, with higher flux in summer than that in winter. The peak flux of 26.52 mg/(m²·d) occurred in August at 600 m, while the lowest value of 0.07 mg/(m²·d) was shown in February at 4 850 m. The settling particles at the deep layers had similar biochemical composition, with calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) accounting for up to 90%, followed by organic matter and opal, characteristics of Carbonate Ocean. The POC flux decreased more rapidly in the twilight layer because of faster decomposition, remineralization, and higher temperature. A small fraction of POC was transported into the deep ocean by biological pump. Particle fluxes were mainly controlled by the calcareous ballasts besides the primary productivity of the surface water. The advection may be another important factor affecting the flux in the seamount area. The combination of settled matters rich in foraminiferal tests with topography and currents may be the reason for regulating the local abundance of benthos on seamounts. Our results will fill in the knowledge gap of sedimentation flux, improve the understanding of ecosystem in Niulang Guyot area, and eventually provide data support for the optimization of regional ecological modeling.

Resource exploitation in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) is of major research interest worldwide, but its influence on the environment is poorly understood, especially due to the lack of baseline values for metals in the surrounding sediment. This work aimed to establish the baseline values of 17 metals (Ba, Ca, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ag, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) using normalization, the cumulative frequency curve method considering a total of 172 samples taken from 8 multitube cores and 1 box sediment core collected in the western CCZ during the COMRA-45 cruise campaign from August to September 2017. The baseline values of the evaluated metals were as follows: 1 932 mg/kg for Ba, 29 512 mg/kg for Ca, 18 150 mg/kg for K, 17 120 mg/kg for Mg, 6 747 mg/kg for Mn, 28 546 mg/kg for Na, 0.571 mg/kg for Ag, 5.00 mg/kg for As, 94.4 mg/kg for B, 0.626 mg/kg for Cd, 104 mg/kg for Co, 76.1 mg/kg for Cr, 370 mg/kg for Cu, 0.028 mg/kg for Hg, 190 mg/kg for Ni, 27.5 mg/kg for Pb and 156 mg/kg for Zn. Our findings would fill the baseline value gap in the study area and further improve accuracy of environmental impact assessments on the impact of resource exploitation.

The impacts of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZMB) on suspended sediment content (SSC) were analysed in the Zhujiang River Estuary based on data from HY-1C, which was launched in September 2018 in China, carrying Coastal Zone Imager (CZI) and Chinese Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner on it. A new SSC inversion model was established based on the relationship between in-situ SSC and the remote sensing reflectance in red and near-infrared bands of CZI image. HY-1C satellite data obtained from October to December 2019 were applied to retrieve SSC in the Zhujiang River Estuary. The results show that SSC around the HKZMB is ranging from 20 mg/L to 95 mg/L. SSC change obviously on two sides of the bridge. During flooding and ebbing period, SSC increases obviously downstream of the bridge. SSC difference between upstream and downstream is ranging from 5 mg/L to 20 mg/L. Currents flowing across the HKZMB, the change trend of SSC in most places upstream and downstream is almost the same that SSC downstream of the bridge is higher than SSC upstream. The tidal currents interact with bridge piers, inducing vortexes downstream, leading the sediment to re-suspend downstream of the bridge piers. Other factors, including seafloor topography and wind, can also contribute to the distribution of SSC in the Zhujiang River Estuary.

The Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) hosts one of the largest known oceanic nodule fields worldwide and is regulated by the International Seabed Authority. A baseline assessment of diversity and distribution patterns is essential for reliable predictions of disturbed ecosystem response scenarios for sustained commercial activities in the future. In the present study, the spatial patterns and diversity of phytoplankton communities were analyzed along with upper ocean biogeochemistry, in the licensed China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association (COMRA) contract area and the surrounding western CCZ between August 21 and October 8, 2017. Results indicated this was a typical low-nutrient low-chlorophyll a (Chl a) environment, characterized by low levels of phytoplankton abundance and diversity. In total 112 species belonging to 4 phyla were recorded (>10 μm), with species counts including 82 diatoms, 27 dinoflagellates, 1 cyanobacteria and 2 chrysophyte. Dominant taxa in successive order of descending abundance and occurrence included Nizschia marina, Cyclotella stylorum, Dactyliosolen mediterraneus, Rhizosolenia setigera, Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima, Thalassiothrix frauenfeldii, Synedra sp., Chaetoceros simplex and Pseudo-nitzschia circumpora. The depth-averaged abundance and Chl a concentrations were (265±233) cells/L and (0.27±0.30) μg/L, respectively. Diatoms accounted for 90.94% of the community with (241±223) cells/L, while dinoflagellates accounted for 5.67% and (15±13) cells/L. The distribution pattern exhibited the same trend as abundance, Chl a and species richness, showing subsurface maximum levels at around 100 m, with stations near 10°N having higher levels than in the north. Cluster analysis was performed in two assemblages, relating to geographic locations to the south and north of 12°N. The subsurface maximum of abundance, Chl a, species richness, dissolved oxygen and nitrite were generally corresponding to the presence of high salinity North Pacific Central Water at depths of 50−120 m. Higher availability of nitrate, phosphate and silicic acid in the subsurface may account for the shift in phytoplankton distribution, as shown by redundancy correspondence and spearman correlation analysis. Diel variation in an anchor station demonstrated prominent species succession without significant differences in oceanographic variables, among which diatoms succession resulted from the light limitation, while dinoflagellate diel variation mainly related to lateral transport of water masses. The observed patchiness in spatial phytoplankton distributional patterns was attributed to upper ocean environmental gradients in the CCZ. The baseline generated in this study could be analyzed using current conservation strategy programs associated with deep-sea mining.

Hypoxia is increasingly reported off the Changjiang River Estuary with the confluence of multiple high volume nutrient sources. The Regional Ocean Modeling System coupled with a biological model was used to analyze the effect of different nutrient sources on the development of hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary. By comparing to observed data, our model suitably captured the regional dynamics of chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient concentration. A series of sensitivity experiments were conducted to investigate the hypoxia response to the various nutrient sources, such as loading from the Changjiang River, Kuroshio and Taiwan Warm Current. Our model results indicated that nutrients from different sources significantly influenced the hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary, and it was mostly affected by nutrients sourced from the Kuroshio. The nutrients input from the Changjiang River had larger impacts on the hypoxia in the north of 30°N than that in the south of 30°N. The nutrients sourced from the Taiwan Strait had a least influence on the hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary.

We report field measurements of vertical profiles of the turbulent diffusivity and temperature at different stations in the South China Sea (SCS). Our study shows that the measured turbulent diffusivity follows a power-law distribution with a varying exponent in water layers. Similar multiple-layer scaling regimes were also observed from the temperature fluctuations. Combining turbulent diffusivity and temperature fluctuations, the vertical structure of temperature was revealed. Furthermore, we discussed the temperature profiles in each layer. A constant function of a dimensionless temperature profile was found in water layers that have identical turbulence conditions. Our results reveal the multiple-layer structure of temperature in the SCS. This study contributes to the understanding of the vertical structure of multiple layers in the SCS and provides clues for exploring the physical mechanism for maintaining the temperature structure.

The wave-induced setup and circulation in a two dimensional horizontal (2DH) reef-lagoon-channel system is investigated by a non-hydrostatic model. The simulated results agree well with observations from the laboratory experiments, revealing that the model is valid in simulating wave transformation and currents over reefs. The effects of incident wave height, period, and reef flat water depth on the mean sea level and wave-driven currents are examined. Results show that the distributions of mean sea level and current velocities on the reef flat adjacent to the channel vary significantly from those in the area close to the side walls. From the wave averaged current field, an obvious alongshore flux flowing from the reef flat to the channel is captured. The flux from the reef flat composes the second source of the offshore rip current, while the first source is from the lagoon. A detailed momentum balance analysis shows that the alongshore current is mainly induced by the pressure gradient between the reef flat and the channel. In the lagoon, the momentum balances are between the pressure and radiation stress gradient, which drives flow towards the channel. Along the channel, the offshore current is mainly driven by the pressure gradient.

Mesoscale eddies play vital roles in ocean processes. Although previous studies focused on eddy surface features and individual three-dimensional (3D) eddy cases in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, the analysis of unique eddy 3D regional characteristics is still lacking. A 3D eddy detection scheme is applied to 9 years (2000–2008) of eddy-resolving Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) output to obtain a 3D eddy dataset from the surface to a depth of 1 000 m in the northwestern Pacific Ocean (15°–35°N, 120°–145°E). The 3D characteristics of mesoscale eddies are analyzed in two regions, namely, Box1 (Subtropical Countercurrent, 15°–25°N, 120°–145°E) and Box2 (Southern Kuroshio Extension, 25°–35°N, 120°–145°E). In Box1, the current is characterized by strong vertical shear and weak horizontal shear. In Box2, the current is characterized by the strong Kuroshio, topographic effect, and the westward propagation of Rossby waves. The results indicate the importance of baroclinic instability in Box1, whereas in Box2, both the barotropic and baroclinic instability are important. Moreover, the mesoscale eddies’ properties in Box1 and Box2 are distinct. The eddies in Box1 have larger number and radius but a shorter lifetime. By contrast, Box2 has fewer eddies, which have smaller radius but longer lifetime. Vertically, more eddies are detected at the subsurface than at the surface in both regions; the depth of 650 m is the turning point in Box1. Above this depth, the number of cyclonic eddies (CEs) is larger than that of anticyclonic eddies (AEs). In Box2, the number of CEs is dominant vertically. Eddy kinetic energy (EKE) and mean normalized relative vorticity in Box2 are significantly higher than those in Box1. With increasing depth, the attenuation trend of EKE and relative vorticity of Box1 become greater than those of Box2. Furthermore, the upper ocean (about 300 m in depth) contains 68.6% of the eddies (instantaneous eddy). Only 16.6% of the eddies extend to 1 000 m. In addition, about 87% of the eddies are bowl-shaped eddies in the two regions. Only about 3% are cone-shaped eddies. With increasing depth of the eddies, the proportion of bowl-shaped eddies gradually decreases. Conversely, the cone- and lens-shaped eddies are equal in number at 700–1 000 m, accounting for about 30% each. Studying the 3D characteristics of eddies in two different regions of the northwestern Pacific Ocean is an important stepping stone for discussing the different eddy generation mechanisms.

A wave-current-sediment coupled numerical model is employed to study the responses of suspended sediment transport in the wet season to changes in shoreline and bathymetry in the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Estuary (ZRE) from 1971 to 2012. It is shown that, during the wavy period, the large wave-induced bottom stress enhances sediment resuspension, resulting in an increase in the area of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) greater than 100 mg/L by 183.4%. On one hand, in spring tide, the change in shoreline reduces the area of SSC greater than 100 mg/L by 17.8% in the west shoal (WS) but increases the SSC, owing to the closer sediment source to the offshore and the stronger residual current at the Hengmeng (HEM) and Hongqili (HQL) outlets. The eastward Eulerian transport is enhanced in the WS and west channel (WC), resulting in a higher SSC there. The reclamation of Longxue Island (LXI) increases SSC on its east side and east shoal (ES) but decreases the SSC on its west and south sides. Moreover, in the WC, the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) is located near the saltwater wedge and moves southward, which is caused by the southward movement of the maximum longitudinal Eulerian transport. In neap tide, the changes are similar but relatively weaker. On the other hand, in spring tide, the change in bathymetry makes the SSC in the WS increase, and the area of SSC greater than 100 mg/L increases by 11.4% and expands eastward and southward, which is caused by the increases in wave-induced bottom stress and eastward Eulerian transport. On the east side of the WC, the eastward Eulerian transport decreases significantly, resulting in a smaller SSC in the middle shoal (MS). In addition, in the WC, the maximum SSC is reduced, which is caused by the smaller wave-induced bottom stress and a significant increase of 109.88% in southward Eulerian transport. The results in neap tide are similar to those in spring tide but with smaller changes, and the sediment transports northward in the WC owing to the northward Eulerian transport and vertical shear transport. This study may provide some references for marine ecological environment security and coastal management in the ZRE and other estuaries worldwide affected by strong human interventions.