Chinese Journal of Polar Research

Indication of the Arctic and Antarctic Changes and their regulation to Global Climate Change——New understandings since the Fourth IPCC assessment report

Liqi Chen

2013, 25 (1): 1-6. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00001

Abstract ( 2333 )

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It has concerned by the international scientific and social communities as well as rapidly become important international political issues since the Fourth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was released in 2007. In addition, more and more new founding has achieved through implementing the Fourth International Polar Years campaign since 2007/08. It is most significant that the Arctic and Antarctic have been suffering rapid changes which might introduce variations from quantity to quality changes in thresholds appear in middle this century. It is proposed that declining Arctic sea ice would impact on winter snowfall in large scale of the Northern Hemisphere and getting more strong when a projection of almost disappeared the Arctic sea ice in summertime along 2040. About 2050, the Antarctic ozone hole will be recovered back to early 1980s’level when the production of Freon was prohibited. Since that, it becomes rapid warmer in Antarctica and East Antarctica and quickly melting of ice sheets and retreating of sea ice. The sea level rising would be a serious issue. When sea surface temperature increase will enhance air-sea exchange rate of CO2, surface water will storage more CO2 in large scale and cause ocean acidification to affect the ecological system. Therefore, the Arctic and Antarctic changes will play a significant role of indication and regulation to Global Climate Change.

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THE GROVE MOUNTAINS: A TYPICAL PAN-AFRICAN METAMORPHIC TERRANE IN THE PRYDZ BELT, EAST ANTARCTICA

Liu Xiaochun, Zhao Yue, Hu Jianmin, Liu Xiaohan, Qu Wei

2013, 25 (1): 7-24. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00007

Abstract ( 2033 )

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The Grove Mountains, 400 km south of the Chinese Zhongshan Station, are an inland continuation of the Prydz Belt, East Antarctica. The basement terrane of the Grove Mountains consists of voluminous mafic-felsic intrusives of ca. 920-910 Ma and a small amount of Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks. This terrane experienced only a single Pan-African (ca. 570-500 Ma) tectonometamorphic cycle and therefore is a typical Pan-African metamorphic terrane in the Prydz Belt. The Pan-African high-grade metamorphism may have reached the peak P-T conditions of 770-840?C and 1.18-1.40 GPa, rather than low- to medium-pressure granulite facies as previously thought. This peak metamorphism was then followed by a near-isothermal decompression of ca. 0.6 GPa. Numerous A-type charnockites and granites intruded in the metamorphic terrane during syn- to post-orogenic episodes, which resulted in a late near-isobaric cooling of the terrane. These granitoids were probably generated by partial melting of the underplating materials (alkaline basaltic rocks) derived from a long-term enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Coupled with the available data from other localities, we infer that the Prydz Belt developed on the Archean-Grenvillian basement terranes. Subsequently, these basement terranes and Neoproterozoic (?) cover sequences may have suffered from the same Pan-African orogenic event. The crust of the Prydz Belt was thickened to ca. 40-50 km, followed by ca. 20 km of exhumation during the Pan-African orogenesis. Accordingly, the Prydz Belt should represent a Pan-African collisional zone as a consequence of the East Gondwana assembly.

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A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE EVOLUTION OF CIRCUM-ANTARCTIC PALEOBATHYMETRY

Sun Yunfan, Gao Jinyao, Zhang Tao, Zhou Zhiyuan, Yang Chunguo

2013, 25 (1): 25-34. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00025

Abstract ( 1837 )

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Reconstructing paleobathymetry around Antarctic first involves palinspastic reconstructions, which restore seafloor features and landmasses to their original geographic positions at a given point in time. In this paper we reconstruct the plate by using the Euler rotation method described by Greiner. And the Euler poles mainly refer to the finite poles based on the Atlantic-India ocean hotpots reference frame provided by Muller. Some parameters have been converted necessarily. Regions where oceanic crust is younger than the target age must be removed. We reconstruct 15 positions of the plates in and surround the Antarctica areas since 130 Ma using Matlab programming tools. Combing diverse data, we adjust the present-day bathymetry for the effects of thermally driven crustal subsidence, sedimentation, and isostatic rebound, and reconstruct the paleobathmatery south of 30°S. The paleobathmetry maps of different times have been made, and the evolution of Southern Ocean since 130 Ma has been analyzed briefly.

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PRECIPITATION TO ANTARCTIC SEA ICE OSCILLATION ANOMALIES

Dou Tingfeng, Xiao Cunde

2013, 25 (1): 45-52. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00045

Abstract ( 1733 )

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We analyze the impact of Antarctic sea ice oscillation anomalies on southern hemisphere precipitation pattern with Global atmospheric general circulation model NCAR/CAM3 and climatic diagnosis method, and conduct a preliminary study on the possible mechanism of action. Results show that there was significant response in precipitation to the Antarctic sea ice oscillation anomalies, with positive center over the Atlantic Ocean to the east of South America and negative center over the Pacific Ocean to the west of South America, and its spatial pattern was similar to the Antarctic sea ice oscillation. The results of numerical experiments indicate that sea ice oscillation anomalies can take great effect to the middle troposphere atmosphere by changing the surface heat flux which could drive the ascending branch of Ferrell circulation, strengthen or weaken the intensity of Ferrell circulation, and then make influence on the distribution of southern hemisphere precipitation. In the peripheral waters of Amundsen / Bellingshausen sea where sea ice is less than normal, upward heat flux would increase, which can make the ascending branch of Ferrell circulation abnormally strong. Accordingly, the meridional transport is enhanced and the descending branch is strengthened, this would restrain the formation of precipitation in middle-lower latitude areas. In the peripheral waters of Weddell sea where sea ice is more than normal, the responses of meridional transport and precipitation are almost the opposite. However, the response is much weaker at this longitude zone due to the land surface effect in West Antarctica Peninsula and South America.

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PRELIMINARY STUDY ON PREPONDERANT PHOTOBIONTS FROM ANTARCTICA AND ARCTIC

Li Hui，Cao Shunan，Deng Hong，Zhou Qiming，Wei Jiangchun

2013, 25 (1): 53-60. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00053

Abstract ( 2139 )

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Thirty-two photobiont ITS ribosomal DNA sequences which were applied from the lichen samples collected from the King George Island, Antarctica and Ny-Alesund, Arctic were determinded, and all the photobionts were identified as Trebouxia jamesii. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted based on the ITS rDNA sequences of photobionts in this study and those retrieved from Genbank, and the result indicated that genotypes of photobionts do not match the species of lichens or their sampling sites. As a dominant photobiont species distributing on a global scale, T. jamesii harbors numerous genotypes and can be found in various lichen species. Among these genotypes, genotype A were found in the Antarctica, Europe, North America and Arcitc, whereas the other genotypes exhibited regional specificity. The present study supplies the evidence in algal switching among lichens, and suggests that the fragments of lichen thallus could be the carrier for photobionts’ long distance spreading.

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PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF POLARELLA GLACIALIS, A POLAR DINOFLAGELLATE, TO TEMPERATURE RISES

Zheng Shuxian, He Jianfeng, Wang Guizhong, Lin Senjie, Zhang Fang

2013, 25 (1): 61-70. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00061

Abstract ( 1822 )

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Porella glacialis was discovered from the Antarctic land-fast sea ice and Arctic water column. Recently, P. glacialis-like genotypes were found in temperate waters. The dinoflagellate Rubisco and PCNA antibodies detected specific bands of ~53kDa and ~55kDa in P. glacialis. As shown by the gradient temperature experiment, the diel expression of Rubisco protein maintained nearly stable in the 4℃ culture. The diel expression of PCNA closely related with the %S peak. P. glacialis continued to grow after the cell density increased to 1.1×105cells.ml^-1. When the temperature rose up to 15 and 20℃, the dinoflagellate was stressed with fast reducing cell density, altered cell cycle, inactive cell division or even stopped, and greatly reduced abundances and altered diel expression patterns of Rubisco and PCNA. The culture was stressed by 20℃ more. However, the cell density of P. glacialis did not quickly decrease when moved to 15℃. And the cell cycle pattern and the reserved expressing rhythm of the indicative proteins indicated possible cell division of a small part of cells. We concluded that as a polar dinoflagellate, P. glacialis might exist for a long time in the relatively long and gradual process of warming in the polar region. And it was not surprised for the presence of the P. glacialis-like genotypes in temperate waters.

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ISOLATION AND PRELIMINARY IDENTIFICATION OF MICROFUNGI IN SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM ARDLEY ISLAND, ANTARCTICA

Jin Yongxuan, Cong Bailin, Wang Nengfei, Liu Shenghao, Shen Jihong, Huang Xiaohang

2013, 25 (1): 71-77. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00071

Abstract ( 2217 )

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In order to explore the diversity of Antarctic fungi and determine their role in polar ecological system, micro-fungi were isolated from substrate samples collected at the Ardley Island during Chinese 27th Antarctic Scientific Expedition. Our results showed that a total of 168 fungi strains were isolated from six Antarctic samples, and the fungi with more variety and higher amount were those isolated from rotten macroalgae, accounting for 34.6% of the total isolates. The Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rDNA of 15 representative strains were sequenced and the phylogenetic tree was constructed using Mega software. Results showed that these fungi belong to four classes, eight genera, and they are Penicilliumm (5 strains), Pseudeurotium (2 strains), Geomyces (2 stains), Cladosporium (2 stains), Bionectria (1 strain), Aspergillus(1 strain), Aureobasidium(1 strain) and unclassified Onygenales (1 strain). These results suggested that the Antarctic region may have abundant species diversities of fungi. Furthermore, the analysis on extracellular enzymes revealed that 64.6%, 45.1%, 14.6% of the total tested strains could produce amylase, protease and cellulase respectively. These enzyme secretion fungi may play an important role in the energy flow and material circulation in Antarctic continent.

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EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF FLUORINE TOXICITY IN ANTARCTIC KRILL ON SOFT TISSUE IN RATS

Zhang Ling, Lu Xiaoqi, Wang Zhangmin, Qin Liqiang, Yuan Linxi, Yin Xuebin

2013, 25 (1): 78-83. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00078

Abstract ( 2348 )

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The toxicity of fluorine (F) in Antarctic krill via animal experiment was evaluated. There were three groups in this experiment: the control group, the krill treatment group (150 mg?kg-1 F), the NaF treatment group (150 mg?kg-1 F). After three months, the rats were dissected and the liver, kidney, spleen, brain and testis samples were collected. Morphological change of these sample cells was assessed by H-E staining. There was no significant difference of weight and viscera coefficient among three groups. Except for testis, the other four soft tissues samples in the krill treatment group display some pathological changes, although the pathological changes in krill treatment group were fewer than that in NaF treatment group. These results revealed that the toxicity of equal quality F in Antarctic krill was lower than that in NaF, but it was still toxic for rats to consume the krill excessively. This study provides the direct scientific evidences for exploring further human consumption of krill.

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NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF THE EFFECTS OF LATERAL MELTING ON ARCTIC SEA ICE

Wang Qingyuan, Li Qingquan, Wang Lanning

2013, 25 (1): 84-89. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00084

Abstract ( 1986 )

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Sea ice lateral melting parameterization scheme of Community Sea Ice Model version 5(CSIM5) is described in detail. Then we used the CSIM5 to simulate the effect of Sea ice lateral melting parameterization scheme on the change of the thickness and area of sea ice. The results show that: (1) Lateral melting thermal process will decrease sea ice thickness and sea ice area. The significant thickness ablation regions distribute in the Siberian Sea and the Greenland Sea and significant the sea ice area of ablation regions distribute around sea ice edge region ; (2) Lateral melting impact on sea ice thickness more obvious in summer than in winter, impact on sea ice area more significant in winter than in summer ; (3) The lateral melting scheme can better simulate the sea ice area seasonal changes;(4) Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is the very important impact factor on the sea ice lateral melting process and the large values of the lateral boundary melting rate distribute near the SST zero line .

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THE ANALYSIS OF ANTARCTICA GOVERNING REGIME

Shi Weihua

2013, 25 (1): 90-95. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00090

Abstract ( 1938 )

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Antarctic Treaty System(ATS) was gradually formed on the basis of Antarctic Treaty. Antarctic Treaty System is the legal regime and institutional basis of the Antarctic governance. Under the regulation of existing Antarctic governing regime, the Antarctic power structure reach the balance. Through the actors restrict on each other, Antarctic states achieved the equal right on the Antarctic affairs in form, and preserved the peaceful situation and free scientific research for semi century. While with the development of the Illegal，Unreported and Unregulated fishing in the Southern Ocean and the exploitation of Antarctic resource and the coastal countries’ Delimitation of the Continental Shelf outside Antarctica, the existing Antarctic governing regime is facing serious challenges.

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MONITORING THE ARCTIC SEA-ICE MOTION AND ITS CHANGES IN SUMMER AND WINTER 2009

Deng Juan1, Ke Chang-Qing1*, Lei Rui-Bo2, Sun Bo2

2013, 25 (1): 96-104. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1084.2013.00096

Abstract ( 1886 )

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The polar sea-ice has an indicative function on the global climate changes. Monitoring of the Arctic sea-ice is of great significance for the study of global climate environment changes. On the basis of IMB data which was acquired at the long-term ice station during the CHINARE-2008 and MODIS images, the Arctic sea-ice motion and changes were investigated. The results showed that better effect was gained while using MODIS images. The boundaries between water and ice were clear on the classified images. The sea-ice concentration decreased from 16 to 30 April. While the long-term ice station drifted from northwest to southeast, sea ice broke gradually. Sea-ice concentration dropped, and the speed of sea-ice continually decreased. During the period between 30 April and 19 May, the sea-ice concentration changed sharply. Especially on 8 May, it increased. According to the analysis of the track, rotations of the sea-ice introduced by strong wind and ocean current and so on, might result in the change. From 19 May to 6 July, the sea-ice concentration increased. There was a phenomenon of sea-ice gathering because of topography effect near the Greenland. So the sea-ice concentration showed a rising trend in this area.

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