云贵高原湖泊沉积物─水界面碱度扩散通量研究

于１９９１－１９９５年间５次在云贵高原泸沽湖，洱海湖和贵州阿哈湖，百花湖的湖心采集沉积物柱芯，界面水和湖水样品，通过其ｐＨ值和ＨＣＯ３浓度剖面及界面碱度扩散通量的研究，首次定量评估高原湖泊界面扩散作用上不体碱度的影响程度，研究结果表明，云贵高原某些湖水寄宿时间对较长，湖水深度相对小的湖泊，界面扩散作用是水体碱度的重要来源之一，湖水寄宿时间较短，深度较小的湖泊，界面扩散对上覆水体的影响可以忽略不地。     

Influence of Salinity on pH and Aluminum Concentration on the Interaction of Acidic Red Soil with Seawater

Contamination of acidic red soil in the coastal areas of Okinawa Islands is a serious environmental problem. This study was conducted to examine the effects of the salinity on pH and aluminum concentration when the acidic red soil interacts with seawater. Acidic red soil from Gushikawa recreation center was fractionated into bulk soil, coarse sand and silt + clay. Different weights of each fraction were equilibrated with seawater solutions. The pH and concentrations of Al³⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were then analyzed in the extracts. The results showed a decreasing trend of pH with increasing soil to solution ratio while the extracted Al³⁺ revealed an increasing trend. The lowest pH values were 3.85, 4.06, 4.41, 4.66 and their corresponding highest Al³⁺ concentrations were 2.50, 1.01, 0.062 and 0.036 mmolL⁻¹ in the seawater extracts, one-tenth seawater extracts, one-hundredth seawater extracts and one-thousandth seawater solution extracts, respectively. Mostly, the concentrations of Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and especially K⁺ decreased with increasing soil weight in the high salinities but showed the opposite trend in the low salinity samples. Potassium concentration decreased by 39%, 53% and 40% in the seawater extracts, one-tenth and one-hundredth seawater extracts but increased by 200% in one-thousandth seawater extracts. The coincidence of the increase in Al³⁺ and H⁺ concentrations, and the decrease of Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ concentrations in the solutions suggests ion exchange/adsorption, while the increased patterns, particularly at low salinity could be attributed to the dissolution of the species from the soils.     

Ca2+、Mg2+及盐度对凡纳滨对虾体内代谢酶的影响

为探讨Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度对凡纳滨对虾体内代谢酶的相对独立作用和相互影响,进而为提高凡纳滨对虾生长力和免疫力提供理论依据,本实验采取L49(78)安排7水平Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度,L8(27)安排2水平Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度,开展60 d凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)养殖试验,通过比较对虾体内消化酶、ATP酶及免疫类酶的活性以分析Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度对凡纳滨对虾生长力和免疫力的影响。结果表明:水体中Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度对消化酶具有显著影响(P<0.05),其中与对虾消化吸收联系最紧密的蛋白酶中,盐度对胃蛋白酶影响显著,盐度为10时酶活最高,Ca2+、盐度对类胰蛋白酶影响显著,Ca2+为200 mg/L,盐度为20时,酶活最高;Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度对ATP酶具有显著影响(P<0.05),其中对Na+-K+-ATP酶都有显著影响,Ca2+为300 mg/L,Mg2+为500 mg/L,盐度为30时酶活最高,Ca2+、Mg2+对Mg2+-ATP酶具有显著影响,Ca2+为200 mg/L,Mg2+为500 mg/L时酶活最高,Ca2+对Ca2+-ATP酶具有显著影响,Ca2+为200、300 mg/L时酶活最高;Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度对凡纳滨对虾体内免疫酶具有显著影响(P<0.05),Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度对ACP都有显著影响,Ca2+为100 mg/L,Mg2+为150 mg/L,盐度为30时酶活最高,Mg2+对AKP具有显著影响,在150 mg/L时酶活最高,Ca2+、盐度对SOD酶活具有显著影响,Ca2+为100 mg/L,盐度为35时酶活最高;Ca2+、Mg2+、盐度间的交互作用对体内代谢酶也有一定影响。     

Submarine hydrothermal brine seeps off Milos, Greece. Observations and geochemistry

A shallow hydrothermal brine seep located off the Greek island of Milos in the Aegean Sea was studied. The brine fluid outcropped as a pool of water in a seabed depression and was detected in the surrounding pore-waters of sediments colonised by the sulphur bacterium Achromatium volutans. The seep fluid was highly saline and sulphidic, depleted in Mg²⁺ and SO₄²⁻, but enriched over seawater in Na⁺, Ca²⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, SiO₂, reduced species and dissolved gases. The high concentrations of Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and K⁺ were consistent with the Milos tectonic setting. Na-K and Na-K-Ca geothermometers predicted a reservoir temperature of 300–325 °C for the most concentrated seep samples. The deep geothermal reservoir within the metamorphic basement of Milos island has already been located and studied and may represent the source of the seep fluid. Faunal diversity was lowest in seep-influenced sediments, but a sulphide-intolerant species was found in areas of the bacterial mat where salinity and temperature were much lower. Pressure-induced variations in the vertical depth of the brine interface may be occurring in the sediment.     

保存液中Ca2+、Mg2+、K+对中华绒螯蟹（Eriocheir sinensis）精子体外保存存活率的影响

提要以伊红染色法检测样品精子存活率为依据,研究了4℃下5种保存液及Ca2 、Mg2 离子对中华绒螯蟹精子体外保存效果的影响。5种保存液分别为人工海水(ASW)、2倍钙离子人工海水(2×Ca2 -ASW)、无镁离子人工海水(Mg2 -FASW)、无钾离子人工海水(K -FASW)、无钙离子人工海水(Ca2 -FASW),经4天保存后,各保存液中精子样品的存活率和精子密度均出现明显差异,K -FASW、ASW及2×Ca2 -ASW三种保存液中的精子因发生顶体反应而大量死亡,而Mg2 -FASW、Ca2 -FASW的保存效果较好。在此基础上,进一步探讨了不同Mg2 和Ca2 浓度对精子存活率的影响,结果发现,经24h保存后各实验组精子存活率均随着两种离子浓度的增加而明显下降。上述结果表明:K -FASW、ASW及2×Ca2 -ASW不适合精子保存,而Mg2 -FASW和Ca2 -FASW均可作为该蟹精子的保存液;Ca2 因可引起精子顶体反应而造成保存液中精子的大量死亡,其浓度与存活率呈明显的负相关;无K 的保存液中,Ca2 、Mg2 的存在与否对精子的保存效果起关键作用;无Mg2 人工海水之所以具有较好的保存效果,可能与Mg2 的缺乏而导致Ca2 逆浓度差转运受阻,避免了因Ca2 进入而诱发顶体反应有关。     

Molecular and isotopic signatures in sediments and gas hydrate of the central/southwestern Ulleung Basin: high alkalinity escape fuelled by biogenically sourced methane

Natural marine gas hydrate was discovered in Korean territorial waters during a 2007 KIGAM cruise to the central/southwestern Ulleung Basin, East Sea. The first data on the geochemical characterization of hydrate-bound water and gas are presented here for cold seep site 07GHP-10 in the central basin sector, together with analogous data for four sites (07GHP-01, 07GHP-02, 07GHP-03, and 07GHP-14) where no hydrates were detected in other cores from the central/southwestern sectors. Hydrate-bound water displayed very low concentrations of major ions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺), and more positive δD (15.5‰) and δ¹⁸O (2.3‰) signatures compared to seawater. Cl^– freshening and more positive isotopic values were also observed in the pore water at gas hydrate site 07GHP-10. The inferred sulfate–methane interface (SMI) was very shallow (<5 mbsf) at least at four sites, suggesting the widespread occurrence of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) at shallow sediment depths, and possibly high methane flux. Around the SMI, pore water alkalinity was very high (>40 mM), but the carbon isotopic ratios of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ¹³C_DIC) did not show minimum values typical of AOM. Moreover, macroscopic authigenic carbonates were not observed at any of the core sites. This can plausibly be explained by carbon with high δ¹³C values diffusing upward from below the SMI, increasing alkalinity via deep methanogenesis and eventually escaping as alkalinity into the water column, with minor precipitation as solid phase. This contrasts, but is not inconsistent with recent reports of methane-fuelled carbonate formation at other sites in the southwestern basin sector. Methane was the main hydrocarbon component (>99.85%) of headspace, void, and hydrate-bound gases, C₁/C₂₊ ratios were at least 1,000, and δ¹³C_CH4 and δD_CH4 values were in the typical range of methane generated by microbial reduction of CO₂. This is supported by the δ¹³C_C2H6 signatures of void and hydrate-bound gases, and helps clarify some contradictory interpretations existing for the Ulleung Basin as a whole. In combination, these findings suggest that deep biogenic gas and pore waters migrate upward through pathways such as hydrofractures, and measurably influence the shallow carbon cycle. As a result, cation-adjusted alkalinity/removed sulfate diagrams cannot always serve to estimate the degree of alkalinity produced by sulfate reduction and AOM in high methane flux areas.     

Dissolved silica concentrations and reactions in pore waters from continental slope sediments offshore from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA

The pore water concentrations of dissolved silica in sediment cores from the continental slope offshore from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, varied from 150 to almost 700 μ,M with depth in the top 40 cm of sediment. Sediment cores from 630 to 2010 m depth had very similar profiles of dissolved silica in their pore waters, even though these cores came from regions greatly different in slope, topography, sedimentation rate, and abundance of benthic macrofauna. Cores from 474 to 525 m were more variable, both with respect to pore water dissolved silica profiles, and with respect to sediment texture. Experiments indicate that both the rate of dissolution of silica and the saturation concentration decrease as sediment depth below the sediment-seawater interface increases. These data are consistent with depletion of a reactive silica phase in surface sediment, which may be radiolarian tests, or the alteration of biogenic silica to a less reactive form over time. Experimental results suggest that the pore water dissolved silica concentration in sediments below the top few centimeters may be higher than the sediments could now achieve. The flux of dissolved silica out of these sediments is estimated to be 15 μmoles cm⁻² yr⁻¹.     

Phosphate association with Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in seawater

Association constants of orthophosphate ion with Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ were measured at μ = 0.68 and 20°C. The results were used to calculate phosphate speciation in seawater. Free HPO₄^2? ion and MgHPO₄^o are found to be the predominant species.     

Ion association of chloride and sulphate with sodium,potassium, magnesium and calcium in seawater at 25°C

Stoichiometric association constants, which have been measured for the ion pairs of Cl^? and SO₄^?2 with Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺, were used to determine the speciation in an artificial sea water containing only these ions. The resulting distribution is quite different to that found in earlier models in which chloride ion association was ignored. The concentrations of chloride ion pairs with the cations are 4 to 5 times larger than the concentrations of the sulphate ion pairs with the same cations. The total activity coefficients of the neutral salts in sea water calculated from the model are in good agreement with the experimentally measured values. The concentration of MgSO₄⁰ calculated to be present agrees with the amount determined from ultrasonic absorption data. The calculated solubility of gypsum is also in good agreement with the measured values.     

GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERSTITIAL WATER OF THE BOHAI GULF

This paper discusses the geochemical characteristics of the interstitial water of the Bohai Gulf, where the main salt contents (K+, Na+, Ca++ Mg+ + , C1-, HCO3-, SO4-) in 55 sedimentary layers of 13 cores (3-4 m in length) and those of bottom seawater have been determined and the exchange capacity and exchange cations (K+, Na+, Ca++, Mg++) of the layers analysed (see Fig. 1)Fig. J. The stations of core samplings in the Bohai Gult.     

大港原油对毛蚶部分抗氧化酶和代谢酶的影响研究

为研究港原油对毛蚶部分抗氧化酶和代谢酶的影响,设置0.01、0.1、1、3mg/L大港原油水溶液性成分(WSF),采用暴露法研究毛蚶天津群体的鳃、斧足中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPX)抗氧化酶等抗氧化酶及酸性磷酸酶(ACP)、碱性磷酸酶(AKP)、钠/钾泵(Na^+/K^+ATPase)、钙泵(Ga²⁺/Mg²⁺ATPase)等代谢相关酶的活性变化,测定丙二醛(MDA)含量,采用整合生物标志物(Integratedbiomarkerresponse,IBR)进行分析。结果表明,毛蚶鳃和斧足中SOD、CAT、GPX表现出一定的剂量-效应关系, MDA含量呈先升高后降低的趋势, 3 mg/L组表现出MDA累积;ACP、AKP、Na^+/K^+ATPase、Ga²⁺/Mg²⁺ATPase表现出一定剂量-效应关系,酸性磷酸酶较碱性磷酸酶响应更迅速, Na^+/K^+ATPase较Ga²⁺/Mg²⁺ATPase更易受WSF影响;鳃中酶类活性受WSF影响更明显。鳃中SOD、GPX、MDA较斧足高,而CAT则相反。斧足、鳃组织RIB值呈现先下降后上升趋势,与WSF浓度及暴露时间存在剂量-效应关系和时间-效应关系,两组之间存在差异性,斧足累积RIB值高于鳃组织。     

Distribution of some ions and minor gaseous components by concentrations in the atmospheric surface layer of some regions in Eastern Siberia and the Far East

We consider the resemblance between the ion composition of the fraction of soluble aerosols and gaseous admixtures in the atmospheric surface layer at the high-level Mondy station (East Sayan), those in the Listvyanka settlement south of Lake Baikal, in the city of Irkutsk, and at the Primorskaya station near the city of Ussuriysk (Primorskii krai). We use measurement data on the concentrations of the following ions: HCO ₃ ^? , SO ₄ ^2? , NO ₃ ^? , Cl^?, H⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ in the soluble fraction of aerosols and gases HNO₃, HCl, NH₃, and SO₂ in air samples over a 10-year period conducted in the mode of online monitoring. We found the lognormal form of distributions of concentrations of each of the abovementioned components according to the number of samples. A versatile scheme of the distribution of mean geometric concentrations of atmospheric components was proposed for all four groups.     

Temporal variation in the vertical distribution of microphytobenthos in intertidal flats of the Nakdong River estuary,Korea

The vertical distribution of microphytobenthos (MPB) was investigated in intertidal flats of the Nakdong River estuary over different temporal periods. The MPB biomass were measured as chlorophyll a concentration in the sediment, and monitored at two different depth scales. From August 2006 to August 2007, monthly sampling was carried out at four sites to a depth of 10 cm. The vertical distribution exhibited an exponential decline with depth and the slope was closely related to sediment composition and MPB biomass in the surface sediment. The two slightly muddy sand (5–25% mud, <63 μm) sites presented similar trends of seasonal variation to a sediment depth of 10 cm, and no statistical difference was observed in their initial values and the slope of the exponential curves applied to each data set. The site with higher mud content also had higher surface biomass, and the fitted exponential curve had a larger slope than sites with more sand content. The seasonal variations of phaeo-pigments compared to chlorophyll a revealed higher grazing stress on the MPB in summer at the three slightly muddy sand sites, and low grazing stress all year around at the sand (<5% mud) site. In January, April and October 2007, and January 2008, diurnal sampling was conducted at hourly intervals at one slightly muddy sand site. The investigation in January 2007 which was conducted at 1 cm intervals to a depth of 10 cm sediment showed the migration mainly existed in the upper 1 cm. The other diurnal sampling was undertaken to a 1 cm depth at 0.5 mm intervals. An evident migratory rhythm was present, with migration up to the surface during daytime emersion and down into deeper sediment during night and high tide submersion. Migrating cells could reach sediments as deep as 6 or even 10 mm. When the visible thick biofilms formed, the migratory rhythm changed by keeping higher biomass at the surface even at night and during high tide submersion. Generally, the MPB surface biomass was an important factor in structuring the MPB vertical distribution. The vertical distribution to depths of 10 cm was closely related to the sediment composition over the long term, while the MPB migration influenced the vertical distribution over the short term in the top 1 cm of the sediment.     

Formation and stability of mixed Mg/Ca/phytate species in synthetic seawater media: Consequences on ligand speciation

The results of a potentiometric investigation (by ISE-H⁺, glass electrode) on the speciation of phytate ion (Phy¹²⁻) in an ionic medium simulating the major components (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻ and SO₄²⁻) of natural seawater, at different salinities and t = 25 °C, are reported. The work was particularly aimed at determining the possible formation of mixed Ca²⁺–Mg²⁺–phytate ion pairs, and to establish how including the formation of these mixed species would affect the speciation modeling in seawater media. After testing various speciation models, that considering the formation of the MgCaH₃Phy⁵⁻, MgCaH₄Phy⁴⁻, Mg₂CaH₃Phy³⁻ and Mg₂CaH₄Phy²⁻ species was accepted, and corresponding stability constants were determined at two salinities (S = 5, 10). A discussion is reported both on the choice of the experimental conditions and on the possibility to extend these results to those typical of real seawater. A detailed procedure is also described to demonstrate that the stability of these species is higher than that statistically predicted. As reported in literature, a parameter, namely log X, has been determined in order to quantify this extra stability for the formation of each mixed species at various salinities. For example, at S = 10, log X₁₁₃ = 2.67 and log X₁₁₄ = 1.37 for MgCaH₃Phy⁵⁻ and MgCaH₄Phy⁴⁻ (statistical value is log X_stat = 0.60), and log X₂₁₃ = 6.11 and log X₂₁₄ = 2.15 for Mg₂CaH₃Phy³⁻ and Mg₂CaH₄Phy²⁻ (log X_stat = 1.43), respectively. Results obtained also showed that the formation of these species may occur even in conditions of low salinity (i.e. low concentration of alkaline earth cations) and low pH (i.e., more protonated ligand).     

海南省海岸带典型区域海水入侵现状评价

基于海南省东部和南部海岸带地区地下水现场监测数据和室内水化学测定数据,研究了各水化学指标间的相关性,分析了区域海水入侵现状。研究结果表明地下水中Cl~–与Na~+的变异系数较高,与矿化度(TDS)具有强的相关性;以m(Cl~–)(m表示质量浓度)和TDS分别作为评价因子开展了海水入侵现状评价,结果表明研究区域内地下水未受到海水入侵的影响;m(Na~+)/m(Cl~–)、 m(Cl~–)/m(HCO_3~–)、m(Cl~–)/m(SO_4~(2–))、m(Ca~(2+))/m(Na~+)、m(Ca~(2+))/m(Mg~(2+))、钠吸附比(SAR)与m(Cl~–)的相关性分析结果表明m(Na~+)/m(Cl~–)、m(Ca~(2+))/m(Na~+)、m(Ca~(2+))/m(Mg~(2+))以及SAR4个参数可以作为海南省海水入侵判定的评价因子。研究结果对建设海南省"国际旅游岛"战略目标,指导当地合理利用地下水具有参考价值。     

黄河口及渤海湾海水的密度

用磁力浮沉子法溶液密度测量装置,在15—25℃之间的三个温度下测定了黄河口渤海湾36个站位海水样品(于1989年7月和1990年7月采集)的密度,发现所有实验测定值与根据其盐度和温度由1980年国际海水状态方程的计算值比较,均有明显的正偏差,此正偏差随海水盐度降低而增大。在黄河口渤海湾海水样品全部盐度范围内,已发现其海水密度正偏差与海水[Ca~(2+)]/s,[Mg~(2+)]/s,[SO_4~(2-)]/s之间呈指数曲线相关,而与碱度之间呈S形曲线相关,但在盐度25.72—31.57范围内都可近似看作直线相关。黄河口渤海湾海水的高碱度、高[Ca~(2+)]/s为其特征,这也是其密度正偏差的主要影响因素。本文还给出了计算黄河口及渤海湾海水密度的公式。     

Calcium-alkalinity-nitrate relationship in the north pacific and the Japan Sea

When biogenic particles of calcium carbonate and organic matter are formed or decomposed in sea water, calcium concentration, alkalinity and nitrate concentration are changed according to the following equation: ΔCa=0.5 ΔTA+0.63 ΔNO ₃, where ΔCa, ΔTA and ΔNO ₃ are the differences in calcium, alkalinity and nitrate concentration, respectively, between two waters. This relationship was pointed out in a previous paper of ours, and it holds well for data obtained from the North Pacific and the Japan Sea. Furthermore, in sea water containing little or no nutrients, the variations in calcium concentration and alkalinity are consistent with the variations expected from the formation and dissolution of calcium carbonate alone.     

Profiles of dissolved and acid-leachable selenium in a sediment core from the lower St. Lawrence estuary

Concentrations of Se in the pore-water and in the solid phase, and the concentrations of other diagenetic constituents (Fe, Mn, phosphate, ammonium and I) in pore-water, were determined in a sediment core from a 350-m deep station in the lower St. Lawrence Estuary. The concentration of dissolved Se in pore-water was 2.1 nmol kg⁻¹ at the surface of the core, increasing to a maximum of 7.6 nmol kg⁻¹ at a depth of 12 cm, and thereafter decreasing gradually with depth. This profile is similar to the profiles of Fe and phosphate, whose concentration maxima occur around 10 cm. The concentration of total sedimentary Se remained almost constant with depth (≈ 0.75 mg kg⁻¹); however, a significant enrichment of oxalate-leachable Se was observed in the top 2 cm. The sedimentary cycling of Se appears to be closely related to that of Fe: adsorption of Se onto Fe oxyhydroxide at or near the sediment-water interface, release of the adsorbed Se by the reduction of Fe oxyhydroxide, and removal by formation of ferroselite (FeSe₂) at depth. The pore-water flux of Se was estimated by two different methods, firstly from the pore-water gradient, and secondly by applying a box model to the oxalate-leachable solid-phase Se data. The methods agree well both giving values for the flux of 0.11 nmol cm⁻² year⁻¹. This agreement suggests that the loss of labile Se in the sediment is balanced by the upward flux of dissolved Se.     

Rare earth element geochemistry in cold-seep pore waters of Hydrate Ridge, northeast Pacific Ocean

The concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs), sulphate, hydrogen sulphide, total alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and phosphate were measured in shallow (<12 cm below seafloor) pore waters from cold-seep sediments on the northern and southern summits of Hydrate Ridge, offshore Oregon. Downward-decreasing sulphate and coevally increasing sulphide concentrations reveal sulphate reduction as dominant early diagenetic process from ~2 cm depth downwards. A strong increase of total dissolved REE (∑REE) concentrations is evident immediately below the sediment–water interface, which can be related to early diagenetic release of REEs into pore water resulting from the re-mineralization of particulate organic matter. The highest pore water ∑REE concentrations were measured close to the sediment–water interface at ~2 cm depth. Distinct shale-normalized REE patterns point to particulate organic matter and iron oxides as main REE sources in the upper ~2-cm depth interval. In general, the pore waters have shale-normalized patterns reflecting heavy REE (HREE) enrichment, which suggests preferential complexation of HREEs with carbonate ions. Below ~2 cm depth, a downward decrease in ∑REE correlates with a decrease in pore water calcium concentrations. At this depth, the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulphate reduction increases carbonate alkalinity through the production of bicarbonate, which results in the precipitation of carbonate minerals. It seems therefore likely that the REEs and calcium are consumed during vast AOM-induced precipitation of carbonate in shallow Hydrate Ridge sediments. The analysis of pore waters from Hydrate Ridge shed new light on early diagenetic processes at cold seeps, corroborating the great potential of REEs to identify geochemical processes and to constrain environmental conditions.     

The interaction of manganese(II) with the surface of calcite in dilute solutions and seawater

The interaction of Mn²⁺ with the surface of calcite in aqueous solutions is complex. In dilute solutions the Mn²⁺ is rapidly absorbed, MnCO3₃ nucleates on the calcite surface and then grows by a first order reaction with respect to the initial Mn²⁺ concentration. At higher ionic strengths in NaCl solutions, the rate of these processes is slower, but the same general pattern persists. In solutions containing Mg²⁺, at the concentration of seawater and in seawater, the nucleation phase of the uptake process does not appear to occur. The long-term uptake rate of Mn²⁺ on the surface of calcite in seawater is first order with respect to the dissolved Mn²⁺ concentration. The rate constant is over three orders of magnitude smaller than that found in dilute Mg²⁺-free solutions. A probable explanation for the slower growth rate in seawater is that MnCO₃ is not nucleated on the calcite surface due to the presence of high Mg²⁺ concentrations. The Mg²⁺, through site competition, prevents enough Mn²⁺ from being adsorbed to reach a critical concentration for MnCO₃ nucleation. This behavior is similar to that found for orthophosphate with calcite surfaces in dilute solutions and seawater. It indicates that rhodochrosite cannot nucleate in carbonate-rich recent sediments unless the Mg²⁺ concentration is lowered below that of seawater.Measurements of the solubility of rhodochrosite in seawater gave results from an undersaturation approach to equilibrium in excellent agreement with those found in previous studies in dilute solutions. When equilibrium was approached from supersaturation, approximately fifty times more calcium was precipitated than Mn²⁺. The measured solubility was over twice that determined from undersaturation. It is possible that a Mn—calcite containing 25 to 30 mol% MnCO₃ formed on the rhodochrosite from the supersaturated solutions. Consequently, it is doubtful that pure rhodochrosite controls the concentration of Mn²⁺ even in calcium carbonate-poor marine environments.