Evolution and biogeography of talpid moles from continental East Asia and the Japanese islands inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences

We sequenced the cytochrome b gene from two little-studied mammal species from the highlands of Southwest China, the long-tailed mole Scaptonyx fusicaudus and the gracile shrew-like mole Uropsilus gracilis. This data was used to examine the phylogenetic r

Fatty-acids and their C-13 signatures in seep carbonates from hydrocarbon seeps on the upper (GC 185) and lower (AC 645) continental slope of the Gulf of Mexico

Here we reported the fatty-acids and their δ 13C values in seep carbonates collected from Green Canyon lease block 185 (GC 185; Sample GC-F) at upper continental slope (water depth: ∼540 m), and Alaminos Canyon lease block 645 (GC 645; Sample AC-E) at lower continental slope (water depth: ∼2200 m) of the Gulf of Mexico. More than thirty kinds of fatty acids were detected in both samples. These fatty acids are maximized at C16. There is a clear even-over-odd carbon number predominance in carbon number range. The fatty acids are mainly composed of n-fatty acids, iso-/anteiso-fatty acids and terminally branched odd-numbered fatty acids (iso/anteiso). The low δ 13C values (−39.99‰ to.32.36‰) of n-C12:0, n-C13:0, i-C14:0and n-C14:0 suggest that they may relate to the chemosynthetic communities at seep sites. The unsaturated fatty acids n-C18:2 and C18:1Δ9 have the same δ 13C values, they may originate from theBeggiatoa/Thioploca. Unlike other fatty acids, the terminally branched fatty acids (iso/anteiso) show lowerδ 13C values (as low as −63.95‰) suggesting a possible relationship to sulfate reducing bacteria, which is common during anaerobic oxidation of methane at seep sites.

The influence and chronological uncertainties of the 8.2 ka cooling event on continental climate records in China

IEECAS SKLLQG

Diversity and spatial distribution of amoA-encoding archaea in the deep-sea sediments of the tropical West Pacific Continental Margin

The ecological characteristics of the deep-sea amoA-encoding archaea (AEA) are largely unsolved. Our aim was to study the diversity, structure and distribution of the AEA community in the sediments of the tropical West Pacific Continental Margin, to develop a general view of the AEA biogeography in the deep-sea extreme environment. Archaeal amoA clone libraries were constructed. Diverse and novel amoA sequences were identified, with the Bohol Sea, Bashi Strait and Sibuyan Sea harbouring the highest and the Bicol Shelf the lowest AEA diversity. Phylogenetic and statistical analyses illustrate a heterogeneous distribution of the AEA community, probably caused by the differential distribution of the terrestrial or estuarine AEA in the various sampling sites. The deep-sea sedimentary environments potentially harbour diverse and novel AEA in the tropical West Pacific Continental Margin. The stations in the Philippine inland seas (including station 3043) may represent AEA assemblages with various terrestrial influences and the stations connected directly to the open Philippine Sea may represent marine environment-dominant AEA assemblages. Our study indicates the potential importance of geological and climatic events in the transport of terrestrial micro-organisms to the deep-sea sedimentary environments, almost totally neglected previously.

Genetic model of the hydrate system in the fine grain sediments in the northern continental slope of South China Sea

Gas hydrate samples were obtained firstly in China by drilling on the northern margin of South China Sea (SCS). To understand the formation mechanism of this unique accumulation system, this paper discusses the factors controlling the formation of the system by accurate geophysical interpretation and geological analysis, based on the high precision 2-D and 3-D multichannel seismic data in the drilling area. There are three key factors controlling the accumulation of the gas hydrate system in fine grain sediment: (1) large volume of fluid bearing methane gas Joins the formation of gas hydrate. Active fluid flow in the northern South China Sea makes both thermal gas and/or biogenic gas migrate into shallow strata and form hydrate in the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ). The fluid flow includes mud diapir and gas chimney structure. They are commonly characterized by positive topographic relief, acoustic turbidity and push-down, and low reflection intensity on seismic profiles. The gas chimneys can reach to GHSZ, which favors the development of BSRs. It means that the active fluid flow has a close relationship with the formation and accumulation of gas hydrate. (2) The episodic process of fracture plays an important role in the generation of gas hydrate. It may provide the passage along which thermogenic or biogenic gas migrated into gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) upward. And it increases the pore space for the growth of hydrate crystal. (3) Submarine landslide induced the anomalous overpressure activity and development of fracture in the GHSZ. The formation model of high concentration gas hydrate in the drilling sea area was proposed on the basis of above analysis.

Gas hydrate occurrence on the continental slope of the northern South China Sea

High-resolution multi-channel seismic data and geological samples were collected during two research cruises of the R/V FENDOU 4 in 1999 and 2000. Studies on these data and samples together with results from sites 1143-1145 and 1148 of ODP Leg 184 suggest that the geological structure on the continental slope of the northern South China Sea is favorable for the formation of gas hydrates. Bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) and geochemical anomalies which indicate the existence of gas hydrates have been recognized in sediments of the Xisha Trough, the Dongsha Rise and the accretionary wedge of the Manila subduction zone. These gas hydrates are generated by two different mechanisms depending on the tectonic regime and the seismic and geochemical characteristics. The first applies to the passive continental margin of the nor-them South China Sea on the Dongsha Rise and in the Xisha Trough. The gas hydrates are associated with diapiric structures, active faults, slumps and gravity flows as well as high Late Cenozoic sedimentation rates. Their seismic expression includes BSRs, seismic blanking zones and velocity anomalies. The second mechanism is operative on the active continental margin along the Manila subduction zone, especially in the accretionary wedge. Here, gas hydrate occurrence is marked by widespread BSRs and acoustic 'pull-down' possibly related to the existence of free gas in the sediments beneath the BSR. The thickness of the seismic blanking zones averages 250 m, suggesting that the stable gas hydrate zone has about the same thickness. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benthic foraminiferal distribution in surface sediments along continental slope of the southern Okinawa Trough: dependance on water masses and food supply

Benthic foraminiferal analysis of 29 samples in surface sediments from the southern Okinawa Trough is carried out. The results indicate that benthic foraminiferal abundance decreases rapidly with increasing water depth. Percentage frequencies of agglutinated foraminifera further confirm the modem shallow carbonate lysocline in the southern Okinawa Trough. From continental shelf edge to the bottom of Okinawa Trough, benthic foraminiferal fauna in the surface sediments can be divided into 5 assemblages: (1) Continental shelf break assemblage, dominated by Cibicides pseudoungerianus, corresponds to subsurface water mass of the Kuroshio Current; (2) upper continental slope assemblage, dominated by Cassidulina carinata, Globocassidulina subglobosa, corresponds to intermediate water mass of the Kuroshio Current; (3) intermediate continental slope assemblage, dominated by Uvigerina hispida, corresponds to the Okinawa Trough deep water mass above the carbonate lysocline; (4), lower continental slope - trough bottom assemblage, dominated by Pullenia bulloides, Epistominella exigua and Cibicidoides hyalinus, corresponds to deep water mass of the Okinawa Trough; and (5) trough bottom agglutinated assemblage, dominated by Rhabdammina spp., Bathysiphon flavidus, corresponds to I strongly dissolved environment of the trough bottom. The benthic foraminiferal fauna in the southern Okinawa Trough are controlled jointly by water masses and food supply. Water temperature, oxygen concentration and carbonate dissolution of the water masses are important controlling factors especially for the continental shelf break and trough bottom assemblages. The food supply also plays an important role in these benthic foraminiferal assemblages along the western slope. of the Okinawa Trough. Both the abundance and the 5 assemblages of benthic foraminifera correspond well to the organic matter supply along the continental slope and a lateral transport of TSM (total suspended matter) and POC (particulate organic carbon) from the shelf break to the deep water is also an important food supply for benthic fauna in this region.

ABUNDANCE OF CHEMICAL-ELEMENTS IN CONTINENTAL-SHELF SEDIMENT OF CHINA

For the first time, an element abundance table of China Shelf Sea sediments is published based on 286 samples from the continental shelf of China analyzed for 62 chemical elements. The shelf sediments result from the redistribution of sediments from China over the continental shelf. On the basis of comparison of element abundances among the China shelf samples, hemipelagic Okinawa Trough samples, and pelagic brown clay from the West Pacific, it is clear that each has its own elemental characteristics. Hg anomaly enrichment in Okinawa Trough sediments may be used as an indicator of hydrothermal activity.

Authigenic sulfide minerals and their sulfur isotopes in sediments of the northern continental slope of the South China Sea and their implications for methane flux and gas hydrate formation

This is a report of the study of the authigenic sulfide minerals and their sulfur isotopes in a sediment core (NH-1) collected on the northern continental slope of the South China Sea, where other geophysical and geochemical evidence seems to suggest gas hydrate formation in the sediments. The study has led to the findings: (1) the pyrite content in sediments was relatively high and its grain size relatively large compared with that in normal pelagic or hemipelagic sediments; (2) the shallowest depth of the acid volatile sulfide (AVS) content maximum was at 437.5 cm (> 2 mu mol/g), which was deeper than that of the authigenic pyrite content maximum (at 141.5-380.5 cm); (3) delta S-34 of authigenic pyrite was positive (maximum: +15 parts per thousand) at depth interval of 250-380 cm; (4) the positive delta S-34 coincided with pyrite enrichment. Compared with the results obtained from the Black Sea sediments by Jorgensen and coworkers, these observations indicated that at the NH-1 site, the depth of the sulfate-methane interface (SMI) would be or once was at about 437.5-547.5 cm and the relatively shallow SMI depth suggested high upward methane fluxes. This was in good agreement with the results obtained from pore water sulfate gradients and core head-space methane concentrations in sediment cores collected in the area. All available evidence suggested that methane gas hydrate formation may exist or may have existed in the underlying sediments.

Highly nonlinear internal solitary waves over the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea

Large amplitude internal solitary waves (ISWs) often exhibit highly nonlinear effects and may contribute significantly to mixing and energy transporting in the ocean. We observed highly nonlinear ISWs over the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea (19A degrees 35'N, 112A degrees E) in May 2005 during the Wenchang Internal Wave Experiment using in-situ time series data from an array of temperature and salinity sensors, and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). We summarized the characteristics of the ISWs and compared them with those of existing internal wave theories. Particular attention has been paid to characterizing solitons in terms of the relationship between shape and amplitude-width. Comparison between theoretical prediction and observation results shows that the high nonlinearity of these waves is better represented by the second-order extended Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) theory than the first-order KdV model. These results indicate that the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) is rich in highly nonlinear ISWs that are an indispensable part of the energy budget of the internal waves in the northern South China Sea.

A study of internal solitary waves observed on the continental shelf in the northwestern South China Sea

Based on in-situ time series data from the acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and thermistor chain in Wenchang area, a sequence of internal solitary wave (ISW) packets was observed in September 2005, propagating northwest on the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea (SCS). Corresponding to different stratification of the water column and tidal condition, both elevation and depression ISWs were observed at the same mooring location with amplitude of 35 m and 25 m respectively in different days. Regular arrival of the remarkable ISW packets at approximately the diurnal tidal period and the dominance of diurnal internal waves in the study area, strongly suggest that the main energy source of the waves is the diurnal tide. Notice that the wave packets were all riding on the troughs and shoulders of the internal tides, they were probably generated locally from the shelf break by the evolution of the internal tides due to nonlinear and dispersive effects.