Estimated ages of red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) from fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data and a comparison of growth parameters

The red porgy, Pagrus pagrus, is an important reef fish in several offshore fisheries along the southeastern United States. We examined samples from North Carolina through southeast Florida from recreational (headboat) and commercial (hook and line) fisheries, as well as samples from a fishery-independent source. Red porgy attain a maximum age of at least 18 years and 733 mm total length. The weight-length relationship is represented by the ln-ln transformed equation: W = 8.85 × 10–6(L)3.06, where W = whole weight in grams, and L = total length in mm. The von Bertalanffy growth equation fitted to the most recent, back-calculated lengths from all the samples is Lt = 644(1 – e –0.15(t + 0.76)). Our study revealed a difference in mean length at age of red porgy from the three sources. Red porgy in fishery-independent collections were smaller at age than specimens examined from fishery-dependent sources. The difference in length-at-age may be related to gear selectivity and have important consequences in the assessment of fish stocks.

Reproduction of blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus) in coastal waters off northeastern Brazil

The blacknose shark, Carcharhinus acronotus, is a relatively small carcharinid, typically inhabiting continental shelf areas in the western Atlantic Ocean, from North Carolina throughout the Gulf of Mexico (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1948) and along the South American coast to Rio de Janeiro (Compagno, 1984). The abundance of this shark in nearshore areas throughout its distribution makes it accessible to commercial fishing, mainly from inshore hook-and-line and gill-net fisheries (Trent et al., 1997; Mattos and Hazin1).

Changes in the hydrometeorological regime in the Pacific Southwest [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Selected hydrometeorological (HM) data for the Pacific Northwest and atmospheric and North Pacific sea-surface temperature (SST) data are examined for three successive periods that are subsets of the historical record to estimate if their characteristics have changed.

Dinoflagellate "brown tides" in Alexandria, Egypt waters during 1997-1998

Charles Darwin the research ship undertook an Oceanographic Cruise in 1986, CD 86/17 of the North Arabian Sea. Sediment cores were collected between 15° and 25°N. In this study sediment cores collected from deep Indus and Oman basins (CD 1715, CD 1730, CD 1738) have been analyzed for mineralogy, water content and porosity. In general, the cores are mainly composed of clay to silt sized terrigenous and biogenic constituents. Quartz, chlorite and illite are the common minerals of Arabian Sea sediments. Porosity determined by water content of sediments has been correlated with quartz/chlorite and quartz/illite peak ratios to show a relationship between mineral composition and physical properties.

Preliminary estimates of cetacean abundance in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and of selected cetacean species in the U.S. Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone from vessel surveys

The Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) initiated annual, vessel-based visual sampling surveys of northern Gulf of Mexico marine mammals in 1990 and conducted a similar survey in U.S. Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters from Miami, Florida, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in 1992. The primary goal of these surveys was to meet Marine Mammal Protection Act requirements for estimating abundance and monitoring trends of marine mammal stocks in United States waters. The surveys were designed to collect: 1) marine mammal sighting data to estimate abundance and to determine distribution and diversity; and 2) environmental data to evaluate factors which may affect the distribution, abundance and diversity of marine mammals. The preliminary analyses for abundance estimation from the 1990-1993 surveys are presented in this report.

Black carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of China's marginal seas

This study investigates the distribution of black carbon (BC) and its correlation with total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (I PAH) pound in the surface sediments of China's marginal seas. BC content ranges from < 0.10 to 2.45 mg/g dw (grams dry weight) in the sediments studied, and varied among the different coastal regions. The Bohai Bay sediments had the highest BC contents (average 2.18 mg/g dw), which comprises a significant fraction (27%-41%) of the total organic carbon (TOC) preserved in the sediments. In comparison, BC in the surface sediments of the North Yellow Sea, Jiaozhou Bay, East China Sea and the South China Sea is less abundant and accounted for an average of 6%, 8%, 14% and 5%, respectively, of the sedimentary organic carbon pool. The concentration of I PAH pound in the surface sediments ranges from 41 to 3 667 ng/g dw and showed large spatial variations among the sampling sites of different costal regions. The Bohai Bay has the highest I PAH pound values, ranging from 79 to 3 667 ng/g dw. This reflects the high anthropogenically contaminated nature of the sediments in the bay. BC is positively correlated to TOC but a strong correlation is not found between BC and I PAH pound in the surface sediments studied, suggesting that BC and PAHs preserved in the sediments are derived from different sources and controlled by different biogeochemical processes. Our study suggests that the abundance of BC preserved in the sediments could represent a significant sink pool of carbon cycling in China's marginal seas.

末次冰消期以来东亚季风演化：来自东海和北黄海沉积孢粉记录

本论文通过对冲绳海槽南部的MD05-2908孔、北黄海的B-U35、B-U41、B-L44孔和北黄海的299份表层样中的孢粉组成、堆积速率、有机碳氮同位素的综合研究，分析了北黄海的孢粉来源、传播动力和途径，并与其它古气候记录对比，重建了末次冰消期以来东亚季风的演化。 MD05-2908孔孢粉组合特征显示6800-3800a BP间气候温暖干燥，其间存在着两次明显的温度降低、湿度增加阶段，即6800-6600a BP和5800-4850a BP；3800a BP以后，气候变得比较寒冷湿润，中世纪暖期和小冰期分别位于990-480a BP和480-230a BP。 北黄海表层孢粉百分含量等值线图显示北黄海不同海域孢粉来源不同，北黄 海东部海域(123.5°E以东的陆架区域)孢粉主要来源于鸭绿江；北黄海中部海域(123.5°E-122.6°E的陆架区域)孢粉来源比较复杂，既有来自辽东半岛、沿海岛屿、山东半岛，还有由黄海暖流携带而来的；北黄海西部海域(122.6°E以西的陆架区域)孢粉以黄海沿岸流携带而来的黄河来源的为主。 北黄海表层孢粉百分含量等值线图还显示，北黄海东部海域孢粉分布主要受 鸭绿江冲淡水影响，波浪和潮汐的作用较弱；北黄海中部海域孢粉分布受黄海暖流和辽东沿岸流的分支共同影响；黄海暖流与黄海沿岸流在山东半岛东北部相遇，形成一逆时针方向的涡旋，该涡旋控制着北黄海西部海域孢粉的分布。 B-U35孔、B-U41和B-L44孔孢粉组合特征显示，12830-12350a BP时气候 寒冷干燥，植被以旱生草本植物为主，时间上可能对应YD事件；12350-10100a BP时植被以针叶林为主，林下生长着大量蕨类植物，气候寒冷湿润，可能对应着YD事件；10100-6600a BP时植被以落叶阔叶林为主，伴生大量旱生草本植物，气候温暖干燥；6600-5000a BP时植被以针叶-落叶阔叶混交林为主，旱生草本植物含量下降，相对上一阶段温度有所降低，但气候更湿润，可能对应全新世最佳期；5000-4000a BP时针叶林所占比例扩大，温度再次降低，湿度变化不明显；4000-500a BP旱生草本植物含量增加，气候寒冷干燥；500a BP-至今，受人类活动影响，植被遭到严重破坏。 B-U35孔和B-U41孔淡水水生植物花粉百分含量曲线显示11750a BP以来黄河河口地区沼泽湿地面积几经变化。10100-6600a BP时沼泽湿地范围在上一阶段的基础上进一步扩大；6600-2850a BP间沼泽湿地大面积缩小，水生植物属种式微；2850a BP之后黄河河口地区沼泽湿地面积再次扩大，水生植物重新繁盛。 MD05-2908孔蕨类孢子百分含量被用来作为中国东南部季风演化的代用指标。结果显示6800-3800a BP时夏季风较强，其间有两次夏季风减弱阶段，分别位于6800-6600a BP和5800-4850a BP，3800a BP以来，夏季风明显减弱，此期的夏季风减弱除受太阳辐射量的减少影响外，可能还与El Nino的频繁爆发有关。 B-U35孔和B-U41孔蒿属、藜科、麻黄科百分含量被用来作为中国中北部夏季风演化的代用指标。研究表明，11750a BP以来东亚夏季风强度在10100-6600a BP时，显著加强，6600a BP左右，夏季风开始减弱，4000a BP以后夏季风显著减弱。 将MD05-2908孔、B-U35孔和B-U41孔夏季风代用指标进行对比发现，中晚全新世以来中国南-北湿度变化特征正好相反，东亚夏季风强度变化以及由此引起的雨锋的南进北撤可能是导致中国不同区域中晚全新世以来降雨量不同的主要原因。

北黄海表层沉积物粒度分布特征及其对沉积环境的指示

本文基于北黄海1140个表层沉积物样品的粒度分析结果，来探讨沉积物粒度组成、分布特征与物源和水动力环境的关系。结果表明，研究区底质类型主要有泥、粉砂、砂质粉砂、粉砂质砂、砂五种类型，少数站位含有砾石。砾石则主要分布在长山列岛附近海域、大连湾口及其东南近海；砂主要分布在123.3°E以东的海域和长山列岛附近海域；粉砂主要分布在研究区的西南部和大连湾外海；粘土的含量较低，含量大于30%的区域仅分布在研究区的西南部，大于16%的区域有向北和东北延伸的趋势，在大连湾至广鹿岛近海沉积物粘土含量也大于16%。 根据对沉积物粒度各粒级的因子分析结果,结合沉积物的Folk分类和Pejrup分类,将北黄海划分成五个主要沉积环境分区，分别受山东半岛沿岸流、黄海暖流、强潮流场、长山列岛和辽东沿岸流控制。北黄海中西部沉积物主要受山东半岛沿岸流影响，经过本区的黄海暖流限制了山东半岛沿岸流携带的细粒物质向东和向北的扩散和运移，研究区东部沉积作用的主控因素是潮流，长山列岛中部海域受附近岛屿剥蚀物影响，大连湾外海受辽东半岛沿岸流控制。研究区西南部细粒沉积物的粒度分布具有不均匀性和南北不对称性，其形成主要受控于山东半岛沿岸流和黄海暖流及其相互作用，潮流可能也起一定作用。

Yellow perch strain evaluation I: Genetic variance of six broodstock populations

As a prelude to strain selection for domestication and future marker assisted selection, genetic variation revealed by microsatellite DNA was evaluated in yellow perch, Perca flavescens, from four wild North American populations collected in 2003-2004 (Maine, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania,), and two captive populations (Michigan and Ohio). For the loci examined, levels of heterozygosity ranged from H-e=0.04 to 0.88, genetic differentiation was highly significant among all population pairs, and effective migration ranged from low (N(e)m=0.3) to high (N(e)m=4.5). Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was regularly observed indicating significant departures from random mating. Instantaneous measures of inbreeding within these populations ranged from near zero to moderate (median F=0.16) and overall inbreeding levels averaged F-IS=0.18. Estimates of genetic diversity, Phi(ST), and genetic distance were highest between Michigan and all other broodstock groups and lowest between New York and Ohio. Genetic differentiation among groups did not correlate with geographic distance. Overall, the patterns of variation exhibited by the captive (Michigan and Ohio) populations were similar to patterns exhibited by the other wild populations, indicating that spawning and management practices to date have not significantly reduced levels of genetic variation. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

黄海海域前新生代残留盆地综合地质地球物理研究

China’s annual oil import volume has been increasing in recent years, but the oil price in the international market fluctuates and poses a severe threat to China’s economic development and national security. Therefore, it is of great importance to study the gas and oil exploration of Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins in Yellow Sea. Yellow Sea has widespread and thick Mesozoic and Paleozoic strata that contain multilayer source rock. Hence, Yellow Sea Mesozoic and Paleozoic strata have good conditions of forming Pre-Cenozoic hydrocarbon reservoirs. Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins are usually buried deep and then transformed many times in its long evolutional history. These characteristics make it difficult to apply a single method in exploring Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins. On the other hand, it is highly effective to solve key problems of gas and oil exploration of Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins in Yellow Sea by using integrated geological and geophysical methods which make full use of the advantages of various exploring techniques. Based on the principle of “the region controls the local; the deep restricts the shallow,” this study focuses on Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins in Yellow Sea to describe the structure frame of its distribution, with gravity, magnetic, seismic, drill-hole and geological data and previous research findings. In addition, the distribution characteristics of Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins in Yellow Sea are also analyzed. This paper explores the characteristics of error between gravity forward with constant density and gravity forward with variable density through the study on 2-D and 3-D gravity forward in frequency domain. The result shows that there is a linear relationship between error and depth of 2-D geological model but there is a nonlinear relationship between error and depth of 3-D geological model. The error can be removed according to its linear characteristics or statistical nature of nonlinear characteristics. There is also error between gravity inversion with constant density and gravity inversion with variable density due to variable density and edge-effect. Since there are not noticeable rules between the error and the two causes as variable density and edge-effect, this study adopts gravity inversion with variable density and methods to eliminate the edge-effect in basement inversion to improve inversion accuracy. Based on the study on the rock physical properties and strata distribution of Yellow Sea and adjacent regions, this study finds that there is a big density contrast between Cretaceous-Jurassic strata and their substratum. The magnetic basement of south Yellow Sea is regarded as top of Archeozoic-Proterozoic early strata, and there are double magnetic basements in north Yellow Sea. Gravity and magnetic data are used to inverse the gravity basement and magnetic basement of Yellow Sea, with seismic and drill-hole data as constrains. According to data of gravity and magnetic basement distribution, the depth of Cenozoic strata and previous research findings, this paper calculates the thickness of the Mesozoic and Pre-Mesozoic Residual Basins, draws the distribution outline of Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins in Yellow Sea, and analyzes its macro-distribution characteristics. Gravity inversion is applied on a typical geological profile in Yellow Sea to analyze the characteristics of its fractures and magnetic basements. The characteristics of Pre-Cenozoic Residual Basins distribution outline in Yellow Sea and the fractures and magnetic basements of its typical profile shown by profile inversion provides new geophysical evidence for these structure views such as “the South Yellow Sea and the North Yellow Sea belong to different structural units” and “Sino-Korea and Yangtze blocks combine along Yellow Sea East Fractured Zone in Yellow Sea”.

Are American Youth Alienated From Organized Religion?

The purpose of the project is to research the shape and influence of religion and spirituality in the lives of U.S. adolescents; to identify effective practices in the religious, moral, and social formation of the lives of youth; to describe the extent to which youth participate in and benefit from the programs and opportunities that religious communities are offering to their youth; and to foster an informed national discussion about the influence of religion in youth's lives, in order to encourage sustained reflection about and rethinking of our cultural and institutional practices with regard to youth and religion.

Religion in the lives of American adolescents

The purpose of the project is to research the shape and influence of religion and spirituality in the lives of U.S. adolescents; to identify effective practices in the religious, moral, and social formation of the lives of youth; to describe the extent to which youth participate in and benefit from the programs and opportunities that religious communities are offering to their youth; and to foster an informed national discussion about the influence of religion in youth's lives, in order to encourage sustained reflection about and rethinking of our cultural and institutional practices with regard to youth and religion.

Religion and the life attitudes and self-images of American adolescents

The purpose of the project is to research the shape and influence of religion and spirituality in the lives of U.S. adolescents; to identify effective practices in the religious, moral, and social formation of the lives of youth; to describe the extent to which youth participate in and benefit from the programs and opportunities that religious communities are offering to their youth; and to foster an informed national discussion about the influence of religion in youth's lives, in order to encourage sustained reflection about and rethinking of our cultural and institutional practices with regard to youth and religion.

Family religious involvement and the quality of family relationships for early adolescents

Examination of association between the religious involvement (number of family religious activities, parental worship service attendance and parental prayer) and quality of family relationships with results indicating that religiously involved families of adolescents (ages 12-14) living in the U.S. are more like to have stronger family relationships than families that are not religiously active.