South China Sea Institute Of Oceanology

Intensification of near-inertial currents in the Atlantic Ocean over the past two decades

Near-inertial currents (NICs) play a key role in surface material redistribution and ocean mixing, yet their long-term variability remains poorly known. Using in situ current measurements from surface drifters, we provide observational evidence for a pronounced intensification of...

Biological pump variations in the northeastern Indian Ocean since the last glaciation: evidence from coccolithophores

The biological pump (BP) constitutes a key component of the global carbon cycle by mediating the export of organic carbon from the surface ocean to the deep sea. However, long-term variability of BP strength in the northeastern Indian Ocean (NEIO), particularly within the strongl...

Diversity and distribution of potential polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene plastic-degrading bacteria communities in deep-sea cold-seep ecosystems

ABSTRACT Biodegradation represents a promising strategy for the remediation of marine plastic pollution. Notably, deep-sea cold-seep ecosystems nurture exceptionally abundant microbial hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial resources. Due to structural similarities between plastics and...

Functional division between root endosphere and rhizosphere microbiomes supports seagrass holobiont resilience under high nutrient and sulfide exposure

Coastal eutrophication leads to the co-occurrence of high nutrient loading and sulfide exposure, posing severe threats to the health of seagrass ecosystems. Yet the underlying adaptive mechanisms of the seagrass holobiont remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted a large-scale...

Assessment and projection of mangrove blue carbon sink along the Guangdong coastline: integrating remote sensing and modeling techniques

Mangrove ecosystems along the Guangdong coastline serve as a vital blue carbon sink, yet their carbon sequestration potential under changing climatic conditions requires rigorous assessment and forward-looking evaluation. This study develops an integrated framework combining remo...

Bacterial Diversity and Community Assembly in Deep-Sea Sediments: Observations from the Philippine Sea

Microorganisms are important components of marine ecosystems and are widely distributed across global marine sediments. Although studies on microbial communities in deep-sea sediments have been increasing worldwide, research in the Philippine Sea is still at an early stage. In th...

Mitochondrial genetic diversity, population structure and late Pleistocene demographic expansion of Evynnis cardinalis in the northern South China Sea

Understanding how historical processes and contemporary oceanography shape population connectivity and demographic dynamics is essential for effective management of coastal marine fishes. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity, population structure, and demographic...

Networks and genome-resolved analyses reveal persistent particle-mediated coupling between prokaryotes and eukaryotic plankton

Interactions between bacterioplankton and eukaryotic plankton are often inferred from short-lived algal blooms, leaving it unclear whether coupling persists under natural seasonal variability and which traits sustain it. We conducted seasonal sampling of coastal seawater over an...

Diagnosing CESM2 Biases in Northwest Indian Ocean Warming and Its Implications for India Summer Monsoon Precipitation

Abstract Declining monsoon rainfall over agriculture‐dependent Eastern Central India (ECI) during 1901–2014 threatens regional food and water security. Observations link ECI drying to rapid Northwest Indian Ocean (NWIO) warming, which weakens monsoon circulation. However, the wid...

Bycatch risk of threatened and protected marine species in China’s seas and adjacent waters

Large marine animals face severe threats from industrial fisheries globally, with bycatch recognized as a primary driver of population declines. This challenge is particularly pronounced in China’s seas and adjacent waters—a region of extraordinary biodiversity yet intense fishin...

Six-fold reduction in ocean heat content estimate uncertainty since 1960

Abstract Ocean heat content (OHC) dominates Earth’s energy imbalance, but its uncertainty has not been fully understood. Here, we construct a Large-Ensemble to comprehensively quantify the OHC uncertainty from global to regional scales since 1955, and consider eight groups of err...

Controls of Sediment Grain Size and Bedform Dynamics on Scour Variability in a Strait‐Influenced Tidal Delta

ABSTRACT Scour development around offshore monopiles in the Eastern Mouth Tidal Delta (EMTD) of the Qiongzhou Strait was investigated based on field observations of bathymetry, hydrodynamic conditions and sediment grain size. The results reveal pronounced spatial variability in s...

Analytical and Laboratory Investigation of Groundwater Pumping in Strip Island Aquifers With Single‐Sided Land Reclamation

Abstract Land reclamation has been widely implemented on oceanic islands to alleviate land scarcity. Previous studies of groundwater pumping in reclaimed island aquifers have primarily considered symmetric reclamation and fixed well placement. Here, we extend this framework to an...

New species and suborder records reveal unusually high thaliacean (Chordata, Tunicata) diversity in the South China Sea

In the context of global biodiversity decline, the monitoring and assessment of marine biodiversity have gained increasing importance. Thaliacea, a group of filter-feeding gelatinous zooplankton, play crucial roles in the carbon cycle and pelagic food webs, yet their diversity re...

Equatorial Indian Ocean productivity over the last 200,000 years and links to deep circulation variations

Ocean circulation plays a key role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide levels during Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles. However, spatial responses of the oceans remain poorly constrained because reliable records from important carbon exchange regions, such as the equat...

La Niña’s longevity shapes Bering Sea ice fate

Abstract La Niña events vary widely in duration, from single-year to multi-year. However, their influence on Bering Sea ice concentration remains unclear. Here, we show that single-year and multi-year La Niña events produce contrasting impacts on spring Bering Sea ice concentrati...