Two new species of Family Prasiolaceae (Prasiolales, Chlorophyta) from China Sea

Amomg the 30 known species of the algal family Prasiolaceae (Prasiolales, Chlorophyta), nine marine species have been found in marine environments but none in China seas. We reported here two new species Prasiola fangchengensis Luan et Ding sp. nov. and Prasiola volcanica Luan et Ding sp. nov. from subtropical coastal water of southern China.

First record of Paraonella platybranchia (Hartman, 1961) (Polychaeta: Paraonidae) from the Yellow Sea

This paper reports for the first time a species of polychaetous family Paraonidae, Paraonella platybranchia (Hartman, 1961), a rare species found previously only in the coast near the boundary between the United States and Mexico, and it was recently discovered in the samples collected in 1982 from Chinese side of the Yellow Sea. This is the first record of the species in China as well as in the Northwest Pacific.

Additional pandaloid shrimps from the South China Sea (Crustacea : Decapoda : Caridea), with description of one new species

The present paper reports 22 pandaloid shrimp species from the South China Sea and its adjacent area, including two new records of the South China Sea, 14 new records of the Nanshan Islands, and one new speices. Heterocarpus chani, new species, type localities from the Philippines and Nansha Islands, is distinguished from its allied species, H. gibbosus Bate, 1888, H. tricarinatus Alcock & Anderson, 1894 and H. lepidus De Man, 1917, by the third maxilliped with a short rudimentary exopod.

Corrosion of steel structures in sea-bed sediment

Seabed sediment (SBS) is a special soil that is covered by seawater. With the developments in marine oil exploitation and engineering, more and more steel structures have been buried in SBS. SBS corrosion has now become a serious problem in marine environment and an important issue in corrosion science. In this paper, approach in the field of SBS corrosion is reviewed. Electrochemical and microbial corrosion factors, corrosion mechanism, measurement of metal corrosion rate, corrosion evaluation and prediction of corrosion are also discussed here.

南海大陆边缘地壳结构与盆地形成机制--以珠江口－琼东南盆地为例

South China Sea is located in the convergence of Eurasian plate, the Pacific Ocean plate and Indian Ocean-Australia plate. The total area is about 3,500,000 km2, the geologic structure is complicated, and the structure line cut off reciprocal is the marginal sea taking form by that the seafloor spreads during the middle Oligocene. South China Sea continental margin have developed more than 10 large oil-gas bearing basins and a number of medium-small sized basins. These basins contain abundant mineral resources such as oil & gas. The marginal deepwater area in the north part of South China Sea has become our country’s strategic energy prospecting frontier. The deepwater area of Zhujiangkou and Qiongdongnan basins is the research target in this thesis. The thesis studied deep structure and the earth dynamics of the north part of South China Sea margin, and these researches provide scientific basis for oil-gas resources strategic investigation and valuation in deepwater sea area of north part slope of South China Sea. In order to develop the research of rebuilding velocities and density architecture of earth shell in region of interest, in marginal deepwater area in the north part of South China, we adopted 14 long-cable seismic reflection profile data of 3556.41 kilometers in total, the gravity measurement data along profiles (3851.44 kilometers in total), the magnetic observation along profiles (3838.4 kilometers in total) and depth measurement along profile, the logging data of 11 wells in project, the interpreted fault parameter and preexisting geologic and geophysical research achievement. This thesis has carried out concretely studying research as follows: 1. Overlay-velocity data sampling and analysis, interval velocity calculation, time-depth conversion, model building of earth shell velocity and layering character of earth shell are studied on 14 deep sections. Velocity structure in region of interest has revealed: Changchang is the sag with thinnest crust in Qiongdongnan basin; the sedimentary thickness lowers gradually from north to south, and the thickness change from west to east is milder. The sags’ sedimentary velocities in Qiongdongnan basin have obvious demarcation. The velocity of the 8000 meters sedimentary rocks is 4700 m/s in Shunde sag and Baiyun sag, and is the lowest; at that depth, the velocity very different in Liwan sag and Baiyun sag, which is about 800m/s. 2. Extracting gravity data and building of initial crust density model along the section; With Bouguer gravity anomaly data as constraint, revising density distributes of initial model, and building the crust density model. 3. With crust velocity and density as constraint, correcting the effect of thermobaric field and constructing constitution structure of rock in region of interest. By this research, we known that rocks in Zhujiangkou upper crustal layer are chiefly granite-gneiss, quartzite, granodiorite and basalt, however, rocks in Qiongdongnan basin upper earth shell are chiefly composed of granite-gneiss, quartzite, granodiorite, diorite and basalt. 4. Synthetically crust velocity and density structure, gaining expanding factor on crust and entire crust along section. The result is indicated: the expanding factor in every sag rises from northwest to southeast, which have reflected thinning characteristic of crust from continent to ocean. Intra-crustal deformation degree in Changchang and Ledong-Lingshui sag is bigger than that in Songnan-Baodao sag. Entire crust extension factor in Changchang and Songnan-Baodao sag is greater than that in Ledong-Lingshui sag, which can make an explanation of frequently event and longer heating process in middle-east of Qiongdongnan basin. 5. Synthesize multidisciplinary information to discuss the earth dynamics significance of discordogenic seismic profile in deepwater area of Zhujiangkou and Qiongdongnan basins.

Aspects of the biology of Mya arenaria and Ensis spp. (Mollusca; Bivalvia) in the Irish Sea and adjacent areas

This study was undertaken to investigate the general biology, including the reproductive cycle and health status, of two clam taxa in Irish waters, with particular reference to the Irish Sea area. Monthly samples of the soft shell clam, Mya arenaria, were collected from Bannow Bay, Co. Wexford, Ireland, for sixteen months, and of the razor clam, Ensis spp. from the Skerries region (Irish Sea) between June 2010 and September 2011. In 2010, M. arenaria in Bannow Bay matured over the summer months, with both sexes either ripe or spawning by August. The gonads of both sexes of E. siliqua developed over autumn and winter 2010, with the first spawning individuals being recorded in January 2011. Two unusually cold winters, followed by a warmer than average spring, appear to have affected M. arenaria and E. siliqua gametogenesis at these sites. It was noted that wet weight of E. siliqua dropped significantly in the summer of both 2010 and 2011, after spawning, which may impact on the economic viability of fishing during this period. Additional samples of M. arenaria were collected at Flaxfort (Ireland), and Ensis spp. at Oxwich (Wales), and the pathology of all clams was examined using both histological and molecular methods. No pathogenic conditions were observed in M. arenaria while Prokaryote inclusions, trematode parasites, Nematopsis spp. and inflammatory pathologies were observed at low incidences in razor clams from Ireland but not from Wales; the first time these conditions have been reported in Ensis spp. in northern European waters. Mya arenaria from sites in Europe and eastern and western North America were investigated for genetic variation using both mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and 16S ribosomal RNA genes) and nuclear markers (10 microsatellite loci). Both mitochondrial CO1 and all nuclear markers showed reduced levels of variation in certain European samples, with significant differences in haplotype and allelic composition between most samples, particularly those from the two different continents, but with the same common haplotypes or alleles throughout the range. The appearance of certain unique rare haplotypes and microsatellite alleles in the European samples suggest a complicated origin involving North American colonization but also possible southern European Pleistocene refugia. Specimens of Ensis spp. were obtained from five coastal areas around Ireland and Wales and species-specific PCR primers were used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS1) and the mitochondrial DNA CO1 gene and all but 15 razor clams were identified as Ensis siliqua. Future investigations should focus on continued monitoring of reproductive biology and pathology of the two clam taxa (in particular, to assess the influence of environmental change), and on genetics of southern European M. arenaria and sequencing the CO1 gene in Ensis individuals to clarify species identity

Quaternary geology of the German North Sea and Western Irish Sea Mud Belt: revised stratigraphies, geotechnical properties, sedimentology and anthropogenic impacts

The climatic development of the Mid to Late Quaternary (last 400,000 years) is characterised by fluctuation between glacial and interglacial periods leading to the present interglacial, the Holocene. In comparison to preceding periods it was believed the Holocene represented a time of relative climatic stability. However, recent work has shown that the Holocene can be divided into cooler periods such as the Little Ice Age alternating with time intervals where climatic conditions ameliorated i.e. Medieval Warm Period, Holocene Thermal Optimum and the present Modern Optimum. In addition, the Holocene is recognised as a period with increasing anthropogenic influence on the environment. Onshore records recording glacial/interglacial cycles as well as anthropogenic effects are limited. However, sites of sediment accumulation on the shallow continental shelf offer the potential to reconstruct these events. Such sites include tunnel valleys and low energy, depositional settings. In this study we interrogated the sediment stratigraphy at such sites in the North Sea and Irish Sea using traditional techniques, as well as novel applications of geotechnical data, to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental record. Within the German North Sea sector a combination of core, seismic and in-situ Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) data was used to identify sedimentary units, place them within a morphological context, relate them to glacial or interglacial periods stratigraphically, and correlate them across the German North Sea. Subsequently, we were able to revise the Mid to Late Quaternary stratigraphy for the North Sea using this new and novel data. Similarly, Holocene environmental changes were investigated within the Irish Sea at a depositional site with active anthropogenic influence. The methods used included analyses on grain-size distribution, foraminifera, gamma spectrometry, AMS 14C and physical core logging. The investigation revealed a strong fluctuating climatic signal early in the areas history before anthropogenic influence affects the record through trawling.

Report on Archaeological Investigations Conducted at the St. Mary's Site (18AP45), 107 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, Maryland, 1987-1990

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Archaeology in Annapolis was invited to excavate the Carroll House and garden on 107 Duke of Gloucester Street in Annapolis, Maryland. The site, named the St. Mary's Site (18AP45) for the Catholic church on the property, is currently owned by the Redemptorists, a Roman Catholic congregation of priests and brothers who have occupied the site since 1852. Prior to the Redemptorists' tenure, the site was owned by the Carroll family from 1701-1852 and is perhaps best known as the home of Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737-1832), signer of the Declaration of Independence. Excavations at the site were conducted during four consecutive summer seasons from 1987-1990. The investigation focused on three research questions. The first line of inquiry were questions surrounding the dating, architectural configuration, and artifact deposits of the "frame house," a structure adjoining the west wall of the brick Carroll House via a "passage" and later a three story addition. The frame house was partially demolished in the mid-nineteenth century but the construction was thought to pre-date the brick portion of the house. The second research question was spurred by documentary research which indicated that the property might have been the location of Proctor's Tavern, a late 17th-century tavern which served as the meeting place of the Maryland Provincial Assembly. Archaeological testing hoped to determine its location and, if found, investigate Annapolis' early Euro-American occupation. The third research question focused on the landscape of the site as it was shaped by its occupants over the past three hundred years. The research questions included investigating the stratigraphy, geometry, and architectural and planting features of Charles Carroll of Carrollton's terraced garden built during the 1770s, and investigating the changes to the landscape made by the Redemptorists in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While no structural evidence associated with Proctor’s Tavern was uncovered during limited excavations along Spa Creek, the historic shore of Spa Creek was identified, buried beneath deep fill deposits laid down during construction of the Carroll Garden. Features and deposits associated with this period likely remain intact in a waterlogged environment along the southeastern sea wall at the St. Mary’s Site. Evidence of extensive earth moving by Carroll is present in the garden and was identified during excavation and coring. This strongly suggests that the garden landscape visible at the St. Mary’s Site is the intact Carroll Garden, which survives beneath contemporary and late nineteenth century strata. The extant surviving garden should be considered highly sensitive to ground-disturbing activities, and is also highly significant considering demonstrable associations with the Carroll family. Other garden-related features were also discovered, including planting holes, and a brick pavilion or parapet located along Spa Creek to the south of the site. The Duke of Gloucester Street wall was shown to be associated with the Carroll occupation of the site. Finally, intensive archaeological research was directed at the vicinity of a frame house constructed and occupied by the Carrolls to the east of the existing brick house, which was replaced by the Redemptorists in the nineteenth century with a greenhouse. These superimposed buildings were documented in detail and remain highly significant features at the St. Mary’s Site.

Recommendations on the nature of the passenger response time distribution to be used in the MSC 1033 assembly time analysis based on data derived from sea trials

The passenger response time distributions adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)in their assessment of the assembly time for passanger ships involves two key assumptions. The first is that the response time distribution assumes the form of a uniform random distribution and the second concerns the actual response times. These two assumptions are core to the validity of the IMO analysis but are not based on real data, being the recommendations of an IMO committee. In this paper, response time data collected from assembly trials conducted at sea on a real passanger vessel using actual passangers are presented and discussed. Unlike the IMO specified response time distributions, the data collected from these trials displays a log-normal distribution, similar to that found in land based environments. Based on this data, response time distributions for use in the IMO assesmbly for the day and night scenarios are suggested

Molecular analysis of Continuous Plankton Recorder samples, an examination of echinoderm larvae in the North Sea

Analysis of the biological time series of plankton samples collected by the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) in the North Atlantic and North Sea has shown a regime shift in the plankton in this region. Both the distributions of planktonic organisms and their timing of occurrence in the seasonal cycle have changed and these changes appear to ref lect global warming. In the North Sea the planktonic larvae of echinoderms have shown a recent dramatic increase in both relative and absolute abundance and their seasonal peak of occurrence has advanced by 47 days. The identity of the echinoderm larvae involved in this change has, however, remained equivocal. The small size of many organisms like echinoderm larvae combined with incomplete taxonomic keys hinders their visual identification and their fragility often means that useful morphological features are damaged during sampling by the CPR. Here, using new molecular methods applied to CPR samples, we show that planktonic larvae of the benthic Echinocardium cordatum dominate the North Sea plankton. We argue that since this species benefits from mild winters and warmer waters their numerical increase in the plankton is consistent with recent climatic changes that appear to be affecting the wider ecology of this region.