Abundance of Common Murre, Uria aalge (Pontoppidan, 1763) (Charadriiformes: Alcidae), in Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan

The Abundance of the Common Murre, Uria aalge (Pontoppidan, 1763) (Charadriiformes: Alcidae), in Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan

During May 27-31, 1963, the author made a trip of sea bird survey to Teuri I., Hokkaido. This island, known as natural monument of sea bird colonies, is situated in Japan Sea with another island Yagishiri in 44.4 N, 141.3 E, 28km west of middle Hokkaido. Full time watch of sea bird distribution was made on ferry between the island and Tomamae, the port on Hokkaido coast (Table 1, Fig. 1). The only sea bird other than those breeding on Teuri and commonly found was Puffinus griseus.The island has 7 miles of coastal line and is generally flat but gradually elevated on the NW coast ending as gigantic cliffs extended along more than 2km, with famous Akaiwa Rock at SW point. A few other isolated rocks are along the coast. These part form a sprendid mixed colony of sea birds. The species and estimated number of these birds breeding there were as follows: Larus crassirostris 50.000, Larus schistisagus 100, Uria aalge (possibly no U. lomvia) 8.000, Cepphus carbo 3.000, Cerorhinca monocerata 100.000, Synthliboramphus antiquus a few (?) (Murata 1957 reported as 500), Phalacrocorax capillatus 100.The conspicuously dominant species almost all over the colony is L. crassirostris which arrives the island in late December laying during May and leaves in late July. But far more, possibly twice or even three times, numerous is the Hornbilled Puffin Cerorhinca monocerata whose burrows occupied the entire upper soily part, average 30 meters in vertical width. The burrows, typically semicircular (dome-shaped) with the hight 10cm and diameter 14cm and more than a human arm length deep, were almost evenly distributed with the density of 6-14 along the distance of ten meters, 170 and 183 within two 10 meter squares. Where abundant and without rocks, only the bandles of stronger grasses, Poa macrocalyx and also Adenophora triphylla in western part, were left at somewhat the same distance (70-100cm) but at very windy tops of the cliff even these grasses had disappeared and burrows were found in desert-like sandy soil.By ferry boat observations, the daytime feeding sea-surface of this nocturnal breeder was confirmed at anchovy netting area about 25-26 miles from the island not far from Hokkaido coast. In the early morning all the flocks were flying out to this sea-surface where floating groups were found. In the evening, they returned to the island flock after flock, somewhat like the starlings coming back to its roost! Toward dark (it was a foggy evening), a few birds came over the top of the cliff with great sounds of wing beats, suddenly appearing from the fog and circled away in it. Gradually, the birds increased in number and finally landed in the colony (carefully when it is not yet dark). They stood still looking around in an alert posture, but often flew off into the fog again after more or less 15 minutes. Some and not all had one to three anchovies in their bill and here and there such a bird caused a sudden straggle with the Black-tailed Gulls which had been waiting for it to rob the anchovies from its bill before entering in its burrow. The gulls were breeding at rocky edges within the puffin colony and when one finds and dashes to a returning puffin with fish several others would joint at once, while some were constantly flying around low over the puffin colony.After complete dark, however, the puffins could more successfully return to their burrows to feed the young. They tumbled into the grass on landing and walked to their burrows, but how they can tell their own from those everywhere around is a problem as in the petrels. Many were seen just standing or walking to and fro, and these should include young non breeders. But, unlike the petrels, their colony was quiet, with only a low groom in the nest and rarely the chick voice. It is said that in the early morning they are also resting on the ground and suddenly take off to the sea.

The article considers the objects and main types of ecological tourism on the islands of Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan). The accelerated pace of socio-economic development in the Primorsky Krai, its strengthening cooperation with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region (ATR), the annual holding of economic summits in Vladivostok make the tourism industry a promising path of the economic development. The Primorsky Krai is a leader in the development of tourism and recreation in the Far East. Ecological tourism is a journey through nature. The main types of ecological tourism are scientific, educational and recreational ones. A trip to nature should be combined with respect for the latter, the study, protection, and restoration of unique landscapes. Ecological tours are offered to vacationers as an alternative to traditional long-distance travels to foreign countries. The Peter the Great Bay is the largest bay in the Sea of Japan at the coast of Russia. The large and small islands of the bay, the island territories of Vladivostok (Russkiy, Popova and Reineke) and the adjacent waters of the Sea of Japan are natural complexes with a unique nature and favorable climate. Sandy beaches and amazingly beautiful shores, convenient bays and inlets, are good objects for the development of various types of ecological tourism.

The fatty acid (FA) composition and the content of the prostaglandin PGE2 were determined in the red algae Gracilaria vermiculophylla and G. austramaritima from Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan), as well as in G. tenuistupitata, G. nhangii, and G. bailiniae from lagoons in southern Vietnam (in the South China Sea). Polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) comprised 49–56% of the total FAs in algae from the Sea of Japan, while in algae from the South China Sea their share was 20% at most. The content of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) in the total FAs of G. vermiculophylla was as high as 45.4%, while the level of 20:4n-6 in Gracilaria from coastal waters of Vietnam did not exceed 12.5%. G. austramaritima stood out for its high content of eicosapentaenoic acid 20:5n-3 (33.5%). The ratios of 20:4n-6/20:5n-3 in G. vermiculophylla, G. austramaritima, G. tenuistupitata, G. changii, and G. bailiniae were 10.6, 0.3, 3.9, 4.0, and 1.5, respectively. The content of PGE2 was the highest (286 μg/g dry weight) in G. vermiculophylla from the Sea of Japan and did not exceed 20 μg/g dry weights in other Gracilaria species. This study showed that it is possible to introduce G. vermiculophylla from the Sea of Japan into the mariculture of northern Vietnam. In the experiment, during 3 weeks of cultivation, the biomass of introduced Gracilaria increased 1.2–1.3 times in a sea lagoon in Vietnam and 1.5–2 times in an aquarium; the algal growth rates were 1.57 ± 0.21% per day. In cultivated Gracilaria, the level of 20:4n-6 decreased to 5.9% (20:4n-6/20:5n-3 = 2.3) and the level of PGE2 decreased to 12 μg/g in dry weight. The PUFA compositions of G. vermiculophylla from various natural populations differed insignificantly; however, the stress caused by introduction led to a sharp reduction in the content of 20:4n-6, which was probably connected with a decreased biosynthesis rate of PUFAs of the n-6 series. At the same time, approximately equal amounts of PGE2 methyl ester were extracted from natural and cultivated G. vermiculophylla after treatment by a method proposed for obtaining prostaglandins. Thus, the cultivation conditions evidently did not influence the prostaglandin biosynthesis enzyme complex in G. vermiculophylla; this species, when grown in mariculture, can be used as a source of prostaglandins.

Sr and Nd isotopic compositions are reported for basaltic rocks collected during ODP Leg 127 from the Yamato Basin, a rifted backarc basin in the Japan Sea. The basalts are classified into two groups in terms of Nd isotopic composition: the upper sills at Site 797 are characterized by higher 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ratios (0.513083-0.513158, eNd = 8.68-10.14) and the basalts from Site 794 and the lower sills at Site 797 have lower 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ratios (0.512684-0.512862, e Nd = 0.90-4.37). All of the basalts show higher Sr isotopic compositions than those of the mantle array, which is attributed to seawater alteration. The basalts with lower Nd isotopic values ranging in age from 20.6 to 17.3 Ma have tapped an enriched subcontinental upper mantle (SCUM) with the minor involvement of a depleted asthenospheric mantle (AM). Subsequent change in composition through the physical replacement of SCUM by AM yielded the basalts of the upper sills of higher Nd isotopic compositions. This event within the upper mantle was associated with the breakup of the overlying lithosphere during the rifting of the Japan Sea backarc basin. This report presents the Nd and Sr isotopic compositions of basalts collected from the Japan Sea floor during Leg 127 of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) (Fig. 1). Based on the isotopic data, we examine the geochemical evolution of the upper mantle beneath the terrain during the rifting/opening process of the Japan Sea backarc basin. The opening of the Japan Sea had been, hitherto, inferred from magnetic anomalies in the Japan Sea (Isezaki, 1986; Kono, 1986) and a sharp change in marine faunas from warm to cold water in the early Miocene deposits dated at about 15 Ma along the Japan Sea coast (Chinzei, 1986). Rapid clockwise rotation of the southwest Japan arc sliver and counterclockwise rotation of the northeast Japan sliver were suggested from paleomagnetic studies of Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Japan arc (Otofuji and Matsuda, 1983; Otofuji et al., 1985b). The rotational movement of the arc slivers resulted in the fan-shaped opening of the Japan Sea at about 15 Ma (Otofuji et al., 1985a). Alternatively, Lallemand and Jolivet (1985) proposed a pull-apart basin model to explain the opening of the Japan Sea. Tamaki (1985) pointed out the existence of multirifts during the opening of the Japan Sea Basin. As for the commencement of rifting in the Japan Sea, an age of about 30 Ma, which is older than the age of rotation of the arc slivers, was estimated on the basis of stratigraphy, basement depth, and heat-flow data by Tamaki (1986). The 40Ar-39Ar dates of three dredged samples from the slope of the Japanese Islands in the basin yielded ages of 23-24 Ma and an age of 26 Ma for an andesite from the Yamato Bank (Kaneoka and Yuasa, 1988). Nohda and Wasserburg (1986) and Nohda et al. (1988) reported Nd and Sr isotopic compositions for Tertiary volcanic rocks from the northeast Japan arc and documented secular variation in the isotopic composition of the enriched to depleted signature of the magma source region through time. This secular variation was considered in the framework of backarc opening in the Japan Sea and attributed to the growth of depleted asthenospheric materials into the preexisting enriched upper mantle. Nohda et al. (1988) and Tatsumi et al. (1989) proposed a hypothetical model of asthenospheric injection to explain

Модиолус курильский Modiolus kurilensis F. R. Bernard, 1983 (Mollusca, Bivalvia) — двустворчатый моллюск семейства Mytilidae; он встречается в заливе Петра Великого (Японское море) на мягких и твёрдых субстратах, зачастую совместно с мидией Грея Crenomytilus grayanus (Dunker, 1853), и является перспективным промысловым видом. Его добывают в качестве прилова при добыче C. grayanus. Цель работы — оценить ресурсы и состав поселений M. kurilensis в заливе Петра Великого. Исследования проводили в 2007–2018 гг. с применением стандартных водолазных гидробиологических методов, изучая глуби́ны до 20 м. Выполнено 2409 станций, модиолус обнаружен на 308 из них. Собранных моллюсков измеряли и взвешивали. В результате статистической и картографической обработки материала получены усреднённые данные о плотности и биомассе поселений M. kurilensis. Для изучения состава поселений модиолуса проанализировано 870 экз. Определяли следующие параметры: показатель оседания молоди (отношение численности молоди размером 1–30 мм (сеголетки, годовики) к числу взрослых особей с длиной раковины более 50 мм); показатель созревания (отношение численности молодых моллюсков пререпродуктивного возраста (35–50 мм) к числу взрослых особей с длиной раковины более 50 мм); пополнение промысловой части поселений (отношение рекрутов (95–100 мм) к числу особей промыслового размера с длиной раковины > 100 мм). Состояние популяции M. kurilensis в заливе Петра Великого стабильно: доля особей непромыслового размера в разных поселениях варьирует от 52 до 86 %, что свидетельствует об активном естественном воспроизводстве и регулярном пополнении бентосной части популяции на протяжении многих лет. Пополнение поселений оседающей молодью зависит от наличия пелагических личинок в планктоне, а их половозрелой части — от благоприятных условий для выживания молоди. Средние значения показателей оседания и созревания в поселениях M. kurilensis в заливе Петра Великого в 2007–2018 гг. составляли (0,18 ± 0,07) и (0,05 ± 0,01) соответственно. Ресурсы M. kurilensis оценены в 27,1 тыс. т, а промысловый запас — в 16,4 тыс. т. Ежегодное пополнение промысловой части поселений M. kurilensis в заливе Петра Великого возможно в объёме более 3 тыс. т. Среднее значение показателя пополнения промысловой части — (0,21 ± 0,03).

Хлорорганические пестициды (ХОП) и полихлорированные бифенилы (ПХБ) относятся к группе стойких органических загрязняющих веществ (СОЗ) и являются глобальными суперэкотоксикантами. Рыба и морепродукты — важный источник полноценного белка и полиненасыщенных жирных кислот, особенно для жителей приморских районов. До 90 % всех поллютантов поступают в организм человека с пищей. Конечным депо СОЗ в окружающей среде являются морские экосистемы, а следовательно, эти вещества могут накапливаться в различных объектах морского промысла. В работе представлены сведения о концентрациях ХОП [изомеры ГХЦГ (α-, β-, γ-), ДДТ и его метаболиты (ДДД и ДДЕ)] и ПХБ в мышцах камбал рода Hippoglossoides Gottsche, 1835, обитающих в дальневосточных морях России (Охотское море, Татарский пролив, Японское море). Липиды экстрагировали из гомогенатов тканей рыб смесью гексана и ацетона с последующим разрушением жировых компонентов концентрированной серной кислотой. ХОП и ПХБ разделяли при помощи колоночной хроматографии полярным и неполярным растворителями. Ксенобиотики количественно определяли методом газовой хромато-масс-спектрометрии. Для оценки качества выбранной методики применяли метод стандартных добавок. Средняя воспроизводимость концентраций аналитов варьировала от 94,6 до 103,7 %, что говорит о надёжности полученных данных и об эффективности использованных методов. Средние концентрации ∑ДДТ, ∑ГХЦГ, ∑ХОП (∑ДДТ + ∑ГХЦГ) и ∑ПХБ конгенеров составили: в образцах, отобранных в восточной части Охотского моря, — (62 ± 89), (50 ± 52), (100 ± 125) и (92 ± 45) нг·г−1 липидов; в южной части Охотского моря — (20 ± 17), (36 ± 37), (54 ± 41) и (99 ± 43) нг·г−1 липидов; в Японском море — (40 ± 29), (62 ± 36), (102 ± 50) и (1616 ± 1177) нг·г−1 липидов соответственно. В образцах из Татарского пролива средние уровни ∑ГХЦГ, ∑ХОП и ∑ПХБ составили (221 ± 182), (224 ± 180) и (455 ± 317) нг·г−1 липидов соответственно. ДДТ обнаружен в трёх исследованных образцах. В восточной части Охотского моря в камбалах зарегистрированы наибольшие концентрации ДДТ и умеренные — ГХЦГ, что может быть связано с расположением на полуострове Камчатка «могильника» ядохимикатов и пестицидов, в котором захоронены ХОП. Поступление ПХБ в воды южной части Охотского моря может объясняться как активным судоходством, так и наличием стоков с мусорных полигонов, несущих остаточные количества ПХБ в экосистему. Южная часть Охотского моря — самый чистый из исследованных районов, характеризующийся наименьшим содержанием ДДТ, ГХЦГ и ПХБ в организмах. В камбалах из залива Невельского (Татарский пролив) ДДТ практически отсутствовал. В то же время в них выявлен самый высокий уровень содержания ГХЦГ, представленного только β-изомером, что говорит о длительной циркуляции токсиканта в экосистеме. Согласно постановлению Правительства Сахалинской области, на территории о-ва Сахалин есть полигоны размещения пришедших в негодность или запрещённых пестицидов, хранение которых (на момент вступления постановления в силу) осуществлялось с нарушениями, способными привести к серьёзному загрязнению окружающей среды. Скорее всего, источником загрязнения Татарского пролива стали именно они. Другим источником загрязнения ГХЦГ могут быть течения, выносящие воды Японского моря через пролив Невельского в Охотское море. Высокие уровни ПХБ в водах залива могут быть связаны с активным судоходством и, возможно, с влиянием свалок бытовых отходов на о-ве Сахалин. Камбалы из Японского моря характеризуются наибольшим загрязнением СОЗ. Поступление ХОП в акваторию моря может быть связано с поверхностными смывами, речными стоками, утечками из хранилищ запрещённых к применению пестицидов и атмосферным переносом из стран Азии, где до сих пор разрешено применение некоторых ХОП. Найденные уровни ПХБ на порядок величин превышают таковые в камбалах из Охотского моря и Татарского пролива, что может быть объяснено активным судоходством в водах Японского моря, влиянием действующих нефтеналивного и угольного портов в г. Находке, а также местным загрязнением прибрежной полосы (так называемых диких пляжей). Таким образом, исследована аккумуляция хлорорганических пестицидов (ГХЦГ и ДДТ) и полихлорированных бифенилов в мышцах камбал из дальневосточных морей России. При существующем глобальном фоне СОЗ, сформировавшемся на планете, уровни этих соединений в камбалах южной части Охотского моря могут быть приняты как фоновые. Наибольшему антропогенному прессу подвержено Японское море, где концентрации ПХБ значительно превышают таковые как в дальневосточных морях России, так и в сравниваемых регионах мира в целом.

Microplastic in northern anchovies (Engraulis mordax) and common murres (Uria aalge) from the Monterey Bay, California USA - Insights into prevalence, composition, and estrogenic activity

In May and June, 1965, the author made five bird surveys in less known parts of Hokkaido. These are reported here under the headings: 1. Notes on birds along Shiretoko Peninsula (May), 2. Sea-bird survey of Kojima I., off Matsumae (May), 3. Observations of birds of Rishiri I. (June), 4. Bird survey of Cape Esan (May, June) and 5. Birds of Soya area and Rishiri. They are sea bird observations (pelagic census and breeding colonies) and notes on land birds.1. Along Shiretoko peninsula, sea bird colonies were observed from ship at some distance. The main colony was on the west-side cliffs at Iwaobetsu chiefly consisting of some hundreds of Larus schistisagus and Phalacrocorax capillatus with Ph. pelagicus and Cepphus carbo, etc. There were a few other smaller ones but they could not be observed at close range. According to local observer, Mr. Yoshida, there appears to be some colonies of Uria aalge, Lunda cirrhata, Cerorhinca monocerata, and breeding of Fratercula and Brachyramphus marmoratus, possibly also Phalacrocorax urile is suggestive. Summer records so far known for Brachyramphus are listed and two birds were encountered this time. A flock of scores of Larus crassirostris were observed near the tip of the peninsula but the breeding was not confirmed. According to Yoshida, he saw chicks of Histrionicus with an adult bird in June, 1963. A White-tailed Sea Eagle was seen on a pack ice with some Larus schistisagus; it breeds at several places of the peninsula. Two Japanese Robins, Erithacus akahige, were unexpectedly found at rocky tip of the peninsula where there were no vegetations and some snow was remaining. Offshore census of sea birds is given in tables.2. Kojima I. is situated in 139°50'E, 41°20'N, 20km. WSW of Matsumae, the southwesternmost tip of Hokkaido. It is a small volcanic island with a coastal line of about 7km., surrounded by steep cliffs and inhabited only by lighthouse keeper family. The breeding species consisted of Larus crassirostris, Uria aalge, Cerorhinca monocerata, Cepphus carbo and Phalacrocorax capillatus, as on Teuri I. (Kuroda, 1963). Many nest burrows of Cerorhinca were found excavated (by a dog of the lighthouse) and this puffin was apparently decreasing (but increasing at Teuri I.) judging from remains of nests on which grasses were already growing. Gull eggs were still being taken by fishermen and thus protection of the whole island is hoped. The time (May 14) was too early (the season was 10-14 days in retard this year) for Uria aalge which we saw only a few, but on May 31 some hundreds were seen by Mr. Saito. On the island some passerines on migration (both leaving winter bird such as Turdus naumanni and arriving summer birds such as Muscicapa narcissina were found). Scattered Cerorhinca and some flocks of Puffinus griseus and P. carneipes were seen in this sea area and a huge migrating flock of about 3, 000 birds (probably of the latter species) were flying northwestward off Cape Shirakami in an endless line. A flock of 300 birds of this species (definitely identified) had been observed on May 7 all making west the Tsugaru Strait.3. Rishiri and Rebun Is. (See also 5.) situated at a little north of 45N°, west of Wakkanai, northern end of Hokkaido, were visited June 7-9, staying on Rishiri. Cerorhinca was found scattered on the sea between Wakkanai and the islands and many were non-breeding birds without the bill-nob. A small number of Puffinus tenuirostris was seen confined off Wakkanai, a great flock of about 1, 500 of P. griseus consisting of numerous small groups was making a circular movements over the sea area between Rishiri and Rebun,

This paper reports a rediscovery of the first museum specimens of fossil whale barnacles from Taiwan. They are part of the material studied and figured by Ichiro Hayasaka in 1934. After examination of the material, which includes two cut-sections and one slice, the taxonomic assignment is revised to Coronula bifida Bronn, 1831. A petrographic study of the surrounding matrix shows that the matrix lacks slate and lithic fragments, indicating that the specimen was deposited in the pre-collision settings during the Miocene to early Pliocene. Figured specimens in Hatai's work in 1939 were examined for comparison. The distribution record of Coronula fossils shows that whales passed through the Taiwan Strait to Okinawa and moved northwards via the Pacific coast of Honshu or entered into the Sea of Japan. The fossil record in this region extends back to the upper Miocene in Yamagata prefecture (facing the Sea of Japan) and Boso Peninsula (facing the Pacific Ocean) in Honshu (~11.2 Ma-5.3 Ma). This is one of the oldest cetacean migration routes documented to date.

Peter the Great Bay (PGB) was not known to Europeans for a long time. The first European ship reached PGB in 1852. She was the French corvette Capricieuse commanded by captain G. de Rocquemaurel who was sent by his government for exploring the western coast of the Japan Sea; actually he had described the Posyet Bay only. Later the British HMS Winchester and Barracuda visited PGB in August, 1856. They discovered the Golden Horn Bay, them as Port May, and gave names to many other geographical locations. Large Russian expedition of 7 vessels was sent to Primorye coast under the leadership of N.N. Muravyov-Amursky, the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, in the summer of 1859. They described thoroughly the entire PGB and changed many (not all) foreign geographical names to Russian ones. Scientific researches in the Japan Sea were started soon by L.I. Schrenk, who summarized the results of Russian observations in two books published in 1869 and 1874. Great success in understanding of oceanographic regime was the work of S.O. Makarov «The «Vitiaz» and the Pacific Ocean» (1894). S. Ogura created in 1927 the general chart of currents in the Japan Sea on the base of Japanese observations in 1900–1911 that was more detailed and comprehensive than the first chart of L.I. Shrenk. Moreover, S. Ogura plotted the water temperature and salinity distribution over the whole Japan Sea for February and August. Oceanographic studies in PGB were made in 1920s by K.A. Gomoyunov, the first professional oceanographer who lived constantly in the Russian Far East; he began from the Amur Bay survey in the summer of 1925. The USSR Hydrographic Office conducted the oceanographic survey in PGB and the Tatar Strait in 1926–1928, with measuring of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen content, pH, and water transparency, with the deepest measurements at the depth of 3500 m. In 1932, the Pacific Res. Inst. of Fisheries in Vladivostok together with the State Hydrographic Institute in Leningrad organized the large-scale Pacific expedition that covered all Far-Eastern Seas. In the framework of this expedition, the 5 cruises of RV Rossinante to the Japan Sea headed by N.I. Tarasov explored PGB, too, that allowed to analyze seasonal variations of temperature, salinity, oxygen content, and currents. Oceanographic researches in the Japan Sea became more active in the times of WWII, 4 small research vessels made observations at Primorye coast every month from April to October under general supervision of A.M. Batalin; in total, more than 100 exits to the sea were recorded in 1941–1946. The data collected in those years was the basis for the big atlas of the Japan Sea created under the leadership of A.I. Rumyantsev and published in 1951.

The pilot mariculture facility for rearing commercial invertebrates has existed in Minonosok Bay of Posyet Bay, Sea of Japan, since 1971. This bay is one of the few in Primorsky Krai where the risk of destruction of mariculture plantations from the effect of storms is a minimum. The total annually yield of spat of the Japanese scallop varied from 6 to 10 million individuals. Two-thirds of this amount was placed in cages for further rearing, and the rest was seeded on the bottom or passed to other enterprises. From 1972 to 2002 there were 104 million individuals of fitted juveniles (yearlings) and 24 million young-of-the-year seeded on the bottom in coastal water areas of the Primorsky Krai from Minonosok Bay. Thanks to the activity of the mariculture farm (two farms since 1994) in Posyet Bay, the stock of the Japanese scallop, which had been depleted by over-fishing in 1934–1935, was completely restored, and, according to our assumption, the total stock of the Japanese scallop was increased two times in Peter the Great Bay.

Results of trawl catches show that in the summer period, in the waters of Primorsky Krai, Russia, Sea of Japan, the purplegray sculpin Gymnocanthus detrisus occurs at depths of 20 to 411 m, preferring the range 80–250 m. The temperature of the species’ habitat varies from 0.8 to 8.6 ° C, and the optimal one is 1.2–2.2 °C. G. detrisus occurs at the preferred depths more frequently in the southern area—the Peter the Great Bay, which is more favorable for foraging; in the area of North Primorsky Krai it was found both at greater and lesser depths. The latter is probably determined by the more limited spreading of waters with unsuitable temperatures for the species there. The body size of the purplegray sculpin grows with depth. Juveniles avoid depths over 200 m, where inflow of low-temperature waters is recorded. G. detrisus, which inhabits waters of Primorsky Krai, is represented mainly by females; the proportion of males exceeds that of females only in the 21–27 cm size group. This may be related to the lower growth rate in males after maturation as compared to females.

The cage method for the cultivation of the seaside scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis is the most developed and popular method at sea farms in Primorsky Krai (Sea of Japan). However, this method of mollusk cultivation requires the careful planning of farming activities. Recently, mariculture farms in different countries have often encountered the mass mortality of cultured hydrobionts. The causes of such diseases are not quite clear, and often their identification requires a large amount of time and financial expenditure. Therefore, the use of predictive mechanisms based on biomarkers can help identify hidden threats in cultured scallop organisms that lead to mass mortality. In this study, we propose a rapid diagnostic method for predicting the distant mass mortality of M. yessoensis cultured in cages using biomarkers. The assessment of the pathological state of cultured mollusks at earlier developmental stages using the DNA comet method and oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde) will allow the diagnosis and prediction of significant losses of marketable individuals in marine farms. In this study, we evaluated different age groups of mollusks cultured in the different water areas of Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan). During the study, we found that the death of cultured mollusks increased with increasing DNA damage and the active accumulation of malondialdehyde in tissues. It was observed that in scallops aged 1+ cultured in Severnaya Bay, high levels of DNA molecule damage and malondialdehyde were registered in the digestive glands and gills, which subsequently led to the death of almost all marketable individuals aged 3+. Therefore, the work is of significant value in assisting the aquaculture industry in solving the emerging problems of scallop farming and preserving marketable products. The proposed markers effectively reflect the condition of molluscs under extreme conditions caused by various factors, making them highly suitable for monitoring studies and forecasts on aquaculture farms.

1. As is widely known, the most striking contrast of climate exists in Japan between the Japan Sea coast and the Pacific side of Japanese mainland. The boundary line dividing these two climatic provinces has been considered to coincide roughly with the water-sheds of the central mountain chains running form the Oo-u Mts, in the north, through central Japan, to the Chugoku Mts. in the west. However, this is not precisely correct and at many parts the influence of the Japan Sea invades far into the Pacific side crossing the central mountain ranges. In order to determine the exact position of this boundary line, these two climates are distiguished by the rainfall types. The Japan Sea type has three maxima including that in winter (Fig. 1.) while the other is characterized by the two maxima in summer and the primary minimum in winter. Japan Sea type thus defined develops along the inner side of the Japanese mainland from Tohoku in the north to the western end of the Chugoku district. Put it is most distinct between Tsuruga and Aomori with the primary maximum in winter whereas the winter maximum is less than these of summer in the west of Tsuruga gradually decreasing westwards and finally disappears at the northern coast of Kyushu. 2. Using this criterion, climatic types are determined for the local stations at 1769 places. As is shown by Fig. 3., Japan Sea type is found here and there on the Pacific Side of the Tohoku district and we have fifteen places where the influence of the Japan Sea is invading or spreading into the Pacific slope spilling over the low mountain pass or blowing through the narrow gorges of the transverse valleys (Fig. 4. ) . In the Kanto, Chubu and Kinki districts, we can find such a feature at ten places (Fig. 5. ) and along the Himekawa and Jinzugawa they reach about fifty kilometre's distance from their water-sheds. Most broad invasion is experienced in the lowland surrounding the Lake Biwa, the northern half of Shiga Prefecture is under the influence of the winter monsoon and the slender tongue-like arm of te cold air extends to Sekigahara through the narrow path at the foot of Mt. Ibuki. We have some isolated small areas with distinct type of Japan Sea coast such as at Yoro (Gifu Prefecture), Mandokoro (Shiga Pref.), Fukusumi (Kyoto Pref.), Toyosaka (Hiroshima Pref.) as shown in Fig. 3. and 4. All of these are at the relatively higher position facing directly to the northwesterly winds which are not disturbed by the uneven land surface bringing much amount of precipitation. For the precise determination of the climatic boundary, present available data are not sufficient especially in the mountainland and other supplementary methods are needed for the further study. Obtained results by the snow-survey may be partly utilized for this purpose in the snowy regions. 3. Japan Sea type once disppears at the northern part of Kyushu and Iki Island, and it is found again at some localities of the Tsushima Islands and along the western coast of Kyushu including the Goto, Amakusa and Koshiki Islands reaching to the southern ends of the Satsuma and Oosumi Peninsulas (Fig. 8.). Notwithstanding the winter maximum in these regions becomes much faint (Fig. 2.) and is statistically significant merely at the high level of risk, they still maintain some systemtic distribution not disturbed by other irregular causes and we may call this properly the Japan Sea type tendency. In such a way, this pattern is somewhat curious although it develops in far smaller scale and not so distinct and sharp as in the Japan Sea coast proper. This is explained by the transformation of air-mass from the Siberian continent due to the supply of he at and water vapour over the sea surface.