ALBERT

Note: Contents: 1 Introduction / Pinxian Wang and Qianyu Li. - References. - 2 Oceanographical and Geological Background / Pinxian Wang and Qianyu Li. - Introduction. - 2.1 Bathymetry and Geomorphology. - 2.2 Oceanography. - Monsoon. - Surface Circulation. - Surface Temperature and Salinity. - Thermocline and Upwelling. - Water Exchange with Pacific and Kuroshio Intrusion. - Deep Water Circulation. - Other Oceanographic Features. - Oceanographic Summary. - 2.3 Tectonic History and Sedimentary Basins. - Prior Terrains and Opening of the SCS. - Step-Wise Closure of the Sea Basin. - Formation of Shelf-Slope Sedimentary Basins. - Sediments of the SCS Shelf-Slope Basins: An Overview. - Summary of Tectonics and Basin Formation. - References. - 3 Stratigraphy and Sea Level Changes. - Introduction. - 3.1 Lithostratigraphic Overview / (Li Q. and Zhong G.). - Pre-Cenozoic Basement. - Lithostratigraphy of Syn-Rift Sediments. - Post-Rift Sediments in Shelf-Slope Basins. - Deep Water Lithostratigraphy. - 3.2 Biostratigraphic Framework / (Li Q.). - Floral and Shallow-Water Faunal Assemblages. - Planktonic Foraminiferal and Nannofossil Biostratigraphy. - Quaternary Lithobiostratigraphic Events. - 3.3 Isotopic and Astronomical Stratigraphy / (Tian J. and Li Q.). - Neogene Isotopic Records at Site 1148. - Pliocene–Pleistocene Isotopic Records at Site 1143. - 3.4 Stratigraphy of Major Shelf and Slope Basins / (Zhong G. and Li Q.). - Northern South China Sea Basins. - Southern South China Sea Basins. - 3.5 Regional Sea Level Changes / (Zhong G. and Li Q.). - Late Quaternary Sea Level Changes. - Long-Term Sea Level Changes Since the Oligocene. - New Approach Toward Fine-Scale Sea Level Magnitude. - Summary of South China Sea stratigraphy. - References. - 4 Sedimentology. - Introduction. - 4.1 Surface Deposition Patterns / (Liu Z.). - Deposit Distribution Patterns. - Sediment Transport. - 4.2 Terrigenous Deposition / (Liu Z.). - Clay Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Source Areas. - Clay Minerals. - Geochemistry. - Terrigenous Sediment Supply in Glacial Cycles. - Long-Term Changes of Terrigenous Sediment Supply. - 4.3 Biogenic Deposition. - Carbonate / (Li J. and Wang P.). - Opal / (Wang R.). - 4.4 Coral Reefs / (Yu K. and Zhao J.). - Modern Coral Reef Distribution. - Carbonate Platform Sediments and Calcium Carbonate Production. - Reef History. - 4.5 Volcanic Deposition / (Liu Z.). - Volcanic Rock Distribution. - Volcanic Ash Records. - Case Studies: Pinatubo, Toba. - 4.6 Estimation of Deposit Mass Since the Oligocene / (Huang W. and Wang P.). - Data Sources and Analyses. - Sediment Distribution and Mass. - Estimation of Terrigenous and Carbonate Masses. - Depositional Patterns. - Major Characteristics of SCS Sedimentation. - References. - 5 Upper Water Structure and Paleo-Monsoon. - Introduction. - 5.1 Sea Surface Temperature History / (Jian Z. and Tian J.). - SST Proxies. - Paleo-SST Reconstruction. - Paleo-SST Patterns. - 5.2 Thermocline Depth History / (Tian J. and Jian Z.). - Proxies of Thermocline Depth. - Paleo-Thermocline Depth. - 5.3 Vegetation History in Deep-Sea Record / (Sun X.). - Pollen Distribution in Surface Sediments. - Long-Term Evolution. - Last Glacial Pollen Records: North-South Differences. - North-South Comparison of the Vegetation During the LGM. - 5.4 Monsoon History / (Jian Z. and Tian J.). - Monsoon Proxies. - Tectonic-Scale Long-Term Evolution. - Orbital-Scale Variability. - Suborbital-Scale Variability. - Summary. - References. - 6 Deep Waters and Oceanic Connection / Quanhong Zhao, Qianyu Li and Zhimin Jian. - Introduction. - 6.1 Modern Deep Waters and Their Faunal Features. - Marginal Seas in the Western Pacific. - Modern Intermediate and Deep Waters in the South China Sea. - Modern Deep-Sea Benthic Foraminifera and Ostracods. - 6.2 Late Quaternary Deep-Water Faunas and Stable Isotopes. - 6.3 Neogene and Oligocene Deep-Water Benthic Faunas from ODP Leg 184 Sites. - Site 1148 Benthic Foraminifera. - Site 1148 Ostracods. - Faunal Indication of Deep-Water Mass Changes. - 6.4 Deep Water Evolution: Evidence from Carbonate. - Preservation and Isotopes. - Carbonate Dissolution. - Isotopic Records. - 6.5 Oceanic Connection. - Summary. - References. - 7 Biogeochemistry and the Carbon Reservoir. - Introduction. - 7.1 Productivity and Nutrient Dynamics in the Modern South China Sea / (Zhao M.). - Primary Productivity. - Nutrient Supplies. - Community Structure, Export Productivity and Sedimentary Biogenic Content. - 7.2 Paleoproductivity Reconstruction of the South China Sea / (Zhao M.). - Patterns of Productivity Changes During Glacial-Interglacial Oscillations. - Pre-Pleistocene Paleoproductivity Changes. - 7.3 Carbon Reservoir Changes / (Wang P., Tian J. and Li J.). - Modern Carbon Cycling. - Late Quaternary δ13C Cyclicity. - Long-Term Trend of Carbon Isotopes. - Summary. - References. - 8 History of the South China Sea – A Synthesis / Pinxian Wang and Qianyu Li. - Introduction. - 8.1 Evolution of the South China Sea Basin. - Pre-Spreading Stage in the Early Paleogene. - Seafloor Spreading in the Oligocene-Early Miocene. - Post-Spreading Stage Since the Late Miocene. - 8.2 Evolution of the East Asian Monsoon. - Summer Monsoon and Chemical Weathering. - Winter Monsoon and North-South Contrast. - East and South Asian Monsoons. - 8.3 Evolution of Continent-Ocean Interactions. - References. - Index.