Occurrence and persistence of water level/salinity states and the ecological impacts for St Lucia estuarine lake,South Africa

The St Lucia estuarine lake in South Africa forms part of a World Heritage Site and is an important local source of biodiversity. Like many estuarine systems worldwide, St Lucia has experienced significant anthropogenic impacts over the past century. Abstractions have decreased fresh water inflows from the lake catchments by about 20%. Furthermore the Mfolozi river, which previously shared a common inlet with St Lucia and contributed additional fresh water during droughts, was diverted from the system in 1952 because of its high silt loads. The separated St Lucia mouth was subsequently kept artificially open until the onset of a dry period in 2002 when the mouth was left to close naturally. These changes and the current drought have placed the system under severe stress with unprecedented hypersaline conditions coupled with desiccation of large portions of the lake. Long-term simulations of the water and salt balance were used to estimate the occurrence and persistence of water levels and salinities for different management scenarios. The risks of desiccation and hyper-salinity were assessed for each case. The results show that the configuration of the Mfolozi/St Lucia inlets plays a key role in the physicochemical environment of the system. Without the Mfolozi link desiccation (of about 50% of the lake area) would occur for 32% of the time for an average duration of 15 months. Artificially maintaining an open mouth would decrease the chance of desiccation but salinities would exceed 65 about 17% of the time. Restoring the Mfolozi link would reduce the occurrence of both desiccation and hypersaline conditions and a mostly open mouth state would occur naturally. Integrating these modeled scenarios with observed biological responses due to changes in salinity and water depth suggests that large long-term changes in the biological structure can be expected in the different management scenarios.     

Alternative nursery habitat for estuarine associated marine fish during prolonged closure of the St Lucia estuary,South Africa

The Mfolozi estuary, located on the east coast of South Africa, was historically directly linked to the adjacent St Lucia estuarine system, the largest estuarine system in Africa and a World Heritage Site. The Mfolozi used to be the main feeder system to maintain lake levels in St Lucia, but increased siltation from sugar cane farming in the Mfolozi floodplain led to artificial separation of the two systems in 1950. Reduced freshwater inflow due to drought conditions caused the St Lucia mouth to remain closed from June 2002 to present, coinciding with low lake levels and hypersaline conditions, except for a brief period during 2007 after the St Lucia mouth breached. These conditions led to disruption of larval recruitment into the system and major changes in biotic communities. Due to the importance of the St Lucia – Mfolozi System link, a study was initiated in 2007 on the fish community of the Mfolozi system, which was sampled using seine and gill nets. The 48 species recorded were dominated by juveniles of marine spawners, particularly Leiognathus equula and Valamugil cunnesius and the estuarine spawners Ambassis dussumieri and Ambassis natalensis. Estuarine dependent marine spawning species formed 68% of both the species numbers and CPUE, an indication of the regional importance of the Mfolozi estuary as an alternate refuge for juvenile marine fish during periods when the St Lucia system remained closed. Post-larval recruits of marine spawning species were particularly abundant, but low zoobenthic densities caused a rapid decline in numbers of benthic feeders shortly after their recruitment into the system. The importance of the Mfolozi estuary in maintaining marine brood stocks of estuarine dependent marine fish is discussed with particular reference to estuarine degradation and the ecological integrity of the St Lucia system.     

Suspended silt and salinity tolerances of the first zoeal stage of the fiddler crab Uca annulipes (Decapoda: Brachyura) and why marine connectivity is essential to the survival of the species

Fiddler crabs (Uca spp.) undergo the zoeal stage of development in open-ocean waters, where they experience stable salinity levels, low turbidity and reduced predation. The St Lucia estuarine system has undergone many geomorphological changes, both natural and anthropogenic, and the estuary mouth has been closed since the early 2000s. Despite recent attempts to improve marine connectivity, it remains limited, occurring primarily on the flood tide through channels connected to the adjacent Mfolozi River. Larval export from the St Lucia Estuary is therefore almost non-existent. A laboratory study was undertaken to examine the silt and salinity tolerance of Uca annulipes first stage zoeae, to investigate whether survival in the closed-estuary conditions would be possible. Salinity tolerance was narrow, with zoeae displaying 100% mortality at salinities <20 and >35 after five days. Zoeae were widely tolerant to silt loading and did not display a significant decrease in survival over a range of 0–1 000 NTU. A limited salinity tolerance is in accordance with the life-history strategy of fiddler crabs, and a high tolerance to turbid waters can be advantageous to small-bodied merozooplankton. Given the stenohaline nature of the zoeae, marine connectivity is therefore essential for the persistence of U. annulipes in this estuarine habitat.     

Effect of hypersaline and low lake conditions on ecological functioning of St Lucia estuarine system,South Africa: An overview 2002–2008

Lake St Lucia, the largest estuarine lake in Africa has been subjected to hypersaline conditions and low lake levels over the past eight years following the closure of its mouth due to drought in the region. This paper documents the physical changes through which the lake has passed and summarises the main findings of research undertaken on the three major biotic components that have been subjected to these conditions. A review of the anthropogenic impacts which have affected the system is provided. These indicate that in combination with drought conditions greater pressure is placed on the system that was the case in the historical past. Available data indicate that the current situation is not only impacting on the lake and its fauna but also on the adjacent nearshore marine environment, It is considered that the Meta area is potentially also under threat. Medium to long term relief possibilities that are under consideration are discussed in relation to the restructuring of something resembling the historically combined uMfolozi–St Lucia ecosystem that existed in the past. It is concluded that in the short term only two options are available to potentially provide relief for the system, the first is to breach the connection between the mouth and the sea. The second is to re-establish some form of more permanent connection, between uMfolozi and St Lucia.     

Response of the mesozooplankton community of the St Lucia estuary,South Africa,to a mouth-opening event during an extended drought

Mesozooplankton samples were collected between March 2005 and November 2008 in St Lucia, the largest estuarine lake system in South Africa. St Lucia experienced an extended period of drought before and during the present study. This drought led to natural closing of the estuary mouth as a result of flood-tide marine sediment deposition in 2002. In March 2007 the mouth was washed open by exceptionally high tidal and wave conditions. This resulted in an influx of a large volume of seawater. The mouth closed again in August 2007. Before opening of the mouth salinities in the Estuary were below 10 and large parts of North Lake dried up while South Lake retained a relatively stable waterbody with salinities between 10 and 30. When the mouth opened seawater flooded the system and salinities changed to about 35. After the mouth had closed again in August 2007 salinities increased in the lakes and decreased in the Estuary. The mesozooplankton community was dominated by copepods during all sampling sessions, especially by the estuarine calanoids Pseudodiaptomus stuhlmanni and Acartia natalensis. Mean mesozooplankton densities were significantly higher in South Lake before the mouth opened in March 2007. While zooplankton density decreased when the mouth opened species richness increased with the influx of coastal marine species, especially in the Estuary. Overall zooplankton densities declined progressively as salinity increased to hypersaline levels after mouth closure. Multivariate analyses supported significant differences between the lakes and the Estuary in terms of mesozooplankton community composition. Taxa mostly responsible for the similarities within and dissimilarity between sections of the system were the copepods P. stuhlmanni and A. natalensis with the meroplankton, crab zoeae and mollusc larvae, also contributing significantly after the mouth-opening event.     

Trophic functioning of the St. Lucia estuarine lake during a drought phase assessed using stable isotopes

The St. Lucia Estuary is Africa’s largest estuarine system and is currently experiencing the stress of prolonged freshwater deprivation, manifested by extremely low water levels and hypersalinity. These unprecedented conditions have raised questions regarding the trophic functioning of the ecosystem. Despite the substantial amount of research previously undertaken within this system, no studies of food web structure and function have yet been documented. This study therefore aimed to examine the food web structure of the St. Lucia estuary system through the use of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis. Analysis of carbon isotope ratios indicates that benthic carbon sources are most utilised at sites with low water levels and generally higher salinity (Catalina Bay, Charter’s Creek). Conversely, the estuarine region of the mouth and Narrows, with its elevated water levels and lower salinity, still sustains a viable pelagic food web. Analysis of δ¹⁵N ratios indicates that the number of trophic transfers (food chain length) might be related to water levels. Overall, the study provides a greater understanding of the ecological processes of this complex estuarine lake, which may allow for future comparisons of trophic functioning under drought and normal/wet conditions to be made.     

Fish community structure of the St Lucia Estuarine System under prolonged drought conditions and its potential for recovery after mouth breaching

The St Lucia Estuarine System, South Africa, has been under pressure due to recent drought conditions, which have led to closure of the mouth, extremely low lake levels and hypersaline conditions. The estuary mouth closed in June 2002 and remained so for almost 5 years before being breached by Cyclone Gamede in May 2007. After mouth closure in August 2007, salinities in South and North Lake gradually increased to reach highs of 68 at the end of 2008, while salinities in the Narrows gradually declined during the study. Fish were sampled biannually during 2006–2008 with seine and gill-nets at six sites throughout the system. A total of 20,422 fish from 72 species were recorded, with the number of species and CPUE gradually decreasing from the Narrows throughout the system to Hells Gate in the upper parts of the system. The fish community was dominated by the freshwater species Oreochromis mossambicus, and two estuarine species, Ambassis ambassis and Hyporamphus capensis. The fish community was dominated in terms of species numbers by marine spawning species, but in terms of fish abundance by freshwater and estuarine breeding species. Recruitment of post-larvae of 20 marine species into the system occurred following opening of the mouth in March 2007, highlighting the importance of the system as a nursery area for marine species. The fish community was structured by spatial differences between sampling areas and between the three main compartments of the system, and not by temporal changes during the study period.     

Dry Season Salinity Changes in Arid Estuaries Fringed by Mangroves and Saltflats

Mangrove swamps and hypersaline saltflats fringe many estuaries in dry tropical climates, especially in Northern Australia. For most of the year these estuaries receive zero riverine freshwater input and thus, after the wet season, a steady increase in salinity occurs. In some locations the estuary becomes fully inverse, i.e. the salinity increases monotonically from the mouth to the head. In other locations, a salinity maximum zone separates the sea from low salinity water that persists at the head of the estuary throughout the dry season. Field data from five estuaries indicate that in short estuaries where a large area of saltflats and mangroves extends over the whole length of the estuary, the estuary becomes completely inverse with salinity rising to 55 within a couple of months. The evaporation and evapotranspiration over the saltflats and mangroves cause this rapid increase in salinity. Longer estuaries where a large area of salt flat exists only close to the mouth do not become completely hypersaline for the whole length of the estuary by the end of the dry season. A salinity-maximum is generated close to the river mouth but salinities of less than 10 persist in the upper reaches of the estuary until the end of the dry season, even though the estuary does not receive any further freshwater input. A simple analytical expression is presented that reproduces the changes in salinities in the estuaries studied. This model can be used to predict the formation of hypersaline conditions in other mangrove and saltflat fringed estuaries where freshwater flow is negligible.     

Macrobenthic invertebrate responses to prolonged drought in South Africa's largest estuarine lake complex

St Lucia, the largest estuarine lake complex of its type in Africa, is characterised by natural physico-chemical spatial and temporal fluctuations. This estuary functions as an important nursery area making use of a number of different habitat types and associated environmental conditions. The system has been subject to a number of natural episodic events such as cyclonic flooding and cyclical droughts, the most current has persisted since 2001, resulting in almost permanent mouth closure. Furthermore, high levels of evaporation have reduced lake levels and resulted in compartmentalisation of the system for up to several years at a time. St Lucia is sensitive to evaporation and therefore to vast salinity fluctuations and hypersaline conditions. The upper reaches in North Lake are particularly sensitive to drying out and extended hypersaline events. The macrobenthos has been well studied, but no studies have concentrated on the entire system for such an extent of time. Macrobenthic samples were initially collected in 2004, again in 2005 and biannually from 2006 to 2008. This study was part of a larger multidisciplinary programme aimed at determining the effects of long term drought conditions on the ecology of the St Lucia system, and increasing current understanding of the system response to future catastrophic climatic events. Three areas were sampled (North and South Lake and Estuary) at five sites per area, over five years. Data were analysed by representing communities through time series depictions and discriminating sites and sampling periods to test multidimensional relationships. Linkages between biological distribution and selected environmental forcing variables were investigated. The system was found to be highly variable and supporting a large number of different habitats and co-occurring environmental conditions. This variability makes it difficult to discern spatial or temporal patterns in environmental conditions and macrobenthic ecology. However, some level of resilience to wide ranging environmental changes associated with drought is maintained. This study was able to determine that there exists a core of taxa able to persist even under shallow depth conditions and prolonged hypersalinity. These taxa clearly have a self recruiting strategy and are therefore not reliant on mouth opening to re-establish local populations. This finding alone has important bearing for future studies and management of the system under similar adverse conditions.     

Ingestion rates and grazing impact of the brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae in Lake St Lucia,iSimangaliso Wetland Park,South Africa

Bivalves feed on a combination of phytoplankton and zooplankton and have the potential to impact considerably the planktonic biomass, especially when they occur in high densities, such as in oyster and mussel beds. The brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae is numerically dominant during wet phases within Africa’s largest estuarine lake, St Lucia, in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the east coast of South Africa. The ingestion rates and potential grazing impact of this small mussel (maximum shell length = 2.5 cm) were estimated for both the wet and dry seasons using an in situ gut fluorescence technique. Ingestion rates were higher during the wet season (5.78 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1) than during the dry season (4.44 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1). This might be explained by the increased water temperature and food availability during the wet season. Because of the patchy distribution of mussel populations, there could be higher localised grazing impact near mussel aggregations. Results showed a potential grazing impact of up to 20 times the available phytoplankton biomass at specific sites. These high grazing impacts have the potential to deplete phytoplankton stocks in the lake, especially during wet phases in the northern reaches, where mussel densities are highest. This needs to be factored into ecological models of Lake St Lucia, because the system might function differently during increased flood events.     

The benthic macrofauna of the St. Lucia Estuary during the 2005 drought year

The St. Lucia Estuary is the largest estuarine system in Africa. The estuary is part of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, which has been declared a World Heritage Site. This ecosystem has been subjected to severe drought conditions over the last four to five years, resulting in its mouth being closed off from the ocean in June 2002 for a period of over four years. The main aim of this study was to document the effects of the prevailing drought on the macrofauna of the system, since the last work on this benthic component had been undertaken over a decade ago, during a normal-to-wet phase. Macrofauna samples together with physico-chemical data were collected at representative sites in the Narrows, and the South and North lakes in February, April, August and October 2005. The drought exerted a strong influence on the system, leading to hypersaline conditions developing in its northern regions (maximum of 126 at Hell's Gate), and to the loss of aquatic habitat. Ordinations and clustering indicated that the macrofauna of the system could generally be separated into three clusters viz. (1) the Narrows and the southern portion of South Lake, (2) the northern half of South Lake, and (3) the North Lake–False Bay complex. Multivariate correlations indicated weak relationships between macrofaunal community structure and physico-chemical parameters. The distinction in macrofaunal assemblages between these clusters was probably caused by these habitats being physically separated at the peak of the drought, with no water flow between them, thereby preventing exchange of planktonic larvae and retarding colonisation of habitats. There was a northward decline in taxonomic richness and diversity of macrofauna in the system, which correlated positively with water depth and negatively with the biomass of microphytobenthos. It is evident that the drought structured macrofauna communities primarily through its effects on water depth and habitat fragmentation. The results of this investigation provide valuable information regarding the effects of droughts on estuarine–lake systems and the possible mechanisms by which they occur.     

Community structure of epibenthic meiofauna in the St. Lucia Estuarine Lake (South Africa) during a drought phase

The St. Lucia Estuary is Africa's largest estuarine system. It is a major component of the iSimangaliso (formerly Greater St. Lucia) Wetland Park, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. The system has been severely affected by drought conditions which have culminated in the mouth of the system being cut off from the Indian Ocean since June 2002, for a period of almost five years. This study aimed to document the dynamics of meiofauna of the system during a drought phase, since (1) the effects of droughts on estuaries are poorly documented and understood and (2) because studies of meiofauna have never been undertaken in this system before. Meiofauna samples as well as physico-chemical data were collected at representative sites in February, April, August and October 2005. The drought had a major effect on the estuary, resulting in the development of hypersaline conditions (maximum 126 at Hells Gate), and to the complete evaporation of pelagic habitats, especially in the northern regions. The meiofauna of the St. Lucia Estuary was statistically separated into two distinct spatial clusters under drought conditions. The first cluster comprised sites in the Narrows and the southern region of South Lake, while the second comprised sites in the northern regions of South Lake and False Bay. Meiofauna of cluster 1, which was least affected by the drought, comprised nematodes, polychaetes, copepods, amphipods and ostracods, all of which accounted for 97% of meiofauna in this cluster. Cluster 2 on the other hand, which was more severely affected by the drought, was dominated by nematodes and copepods, which cumulatively contributed 97% to meiofauna in this group. Taxonomic richness and diversity of meiofauna were positively correlated with water depth, while abundance was inversely correlated with water temperature. The major effects of low water levels on the meiofauna of the system occurred through a negative impact on diversity and taxonomic richness, resulting in assemblages dominated by taxa most physiologically suited to such conditions. Secondly, at the peak of the drought, there was discontinuous water flow in the St. Lucia Estuary, resulting in parts of the northern and southern regions of the system being fragmented. This could have prevented the spread of meiofaunal taxa between the different basins of the system, and also explains the spatial separation of meiofauna into distinct clusters within the estuary.     

应用浮游植物监测与评价长江口水体营养状况

通过对长江河口浮游植物采样研究,应用浮游植物群落多样性指数和均匀度指数、浮游植物丰度以及生物学综合评价法对长江河口水体营养状况进行监测与评价.生物学综合评价结果显示:1999年枯水期,口门内的SX01～SX04样站表、底层水体为中营养水平,口门外近岸及近外海水域一般为贫营养水体.1999年丰水期,表、底层水质状况与枯水期不同,口门内的SX01～SX04样站水体为贫营养型,近口门、近外海水域为中营养型,近岸中部、东部表层一般达到富营养型水体,近岸底层东北部为富营养型,其余近岸水域为中营养型水体.2000年枯水期水质情况为:口门内表、底层水体为贫营养水体,近岸水域表层为中营养水体,底层为贫营养水体,近外海水域表、底层一般也为贫营养水体.     

Numerical modeling of hyperpycnal flows in an idealized river mouth

Numerical experiments in an idealized river mouth are conducted using a three-dimensional hydrodynamics model (EFDC model) to examine the impacts of suspended sediment concentration (SSC), settling velocity of sediment and tidal mixing on the formation and maintenance of estuarine hyperpycnal flows. The standard experiment presents an illustrative view of hyperpycnal flows that carry high-concentrated sediment and low-salinity water in the bottom layer (>1.0 m in thickness) along the subaqueous slope. The structure and intra-tidal variation of the simulated hyperpycnal flows are quite similar to those previously observed off the Huanghe (Yellow River) mouth. Results from the three control experiments show that SSC of river effluents is the most important parameter to the formation of hyperpycnal flows. High SSC will increase the bulk density of river effluents and thus offset the density difference between freshwater and seawater. Low SSC of river effluents will produce a surface river plume, as commonly observed in most large estuaries. Both the settling velocity of sediment particles and the tidal mixing play an important role in maintaining the hyperpycnal flows. Increasing settling velocity enhances the deposition of sediment from the hyperpycnal layer and thus accelerates the attenuation of hyperpycnal flows, whereas increasing tidal mixing destroys the stratification of water column and therefore makes the hyperpycnal flows less evident. Our results from numerical experiments are of importance to understand the initiation and maintenance of hyperpycnal flows in estuaries and provide a reference to the rapidly decaying hyperpycnal flows off the Huanghe river mouth due to climatic and anthropogenic forcing over the past several decades.     

The dynamic behaviour of a river-dominated tidal inlet, River Murray, Australia

Australia's largest river, the River Murray, discharges to the southern ocean through a coastal lagoon and river-dominated tidal inlet. Increased water extractions upstream for irrigation have led to significantly reduced flows at the mouth and, as a result, the area is undergoing rapid change, particularly with regard to the rate at which sediment is being transported into the lagoon. Based on detailed and accurate bathymetric surveys it has been possible to estimate that the rate of lagoon in-filling is of the order of 100,000 m³ per year for the period June 2000 to May 2003, although the actual rate shows significant year to year variability. Dredging of the lagoon commenced in 2000 in an attempt to reverse the trend.In an effort to understand the behaviour of the inlet a one-dimensional numerical model of the inlet has been developed. The model extends the original of van de Kreeke by including a dynamic inlet throat area based on predicted river flows and a sediment transport module to predict the resulting net sediment transport. Comparisons with water level data collected on both the ocean and lagoon sides of the mouth have shown that the model is able to predict the attenuation and lag of the tidal signal reasonably well. The sediment transport model was based on predicted sediment concentrations in the surf zone and was found to predict the rate of sediment in-filling to an acceptable level of accuracy. It is envisaged that the model will be a useful management tool, especially since it is possible to manipulate river discharges to the mouth.     

Summer and winter differences in zooplankton biomass,distribution and size composition in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight,South Africa

Zooplankton biomass and distribution in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight were investigated in relation to environmental parameters during summer (January–February 2010) and winter (July–August 2010). Mean zooplankton biomass was significantly higher in winter (17.1 mg dry weight [DW] m^–3) than in summer (9.5 mg DW m^?3). In summer, total biomass was evenly distributed within the central bight, low off the Thukela River mouth and peaked near Durban. In winter, highest biomass was found offshore between Richards Bay and Cape St Lucia. Zooplankton biomass in each size class was significantly, negatively related to sea surface temperature and integrated nitrate, but positively related to surface chlorophyll a and dissolved oxygen. Zooplankton biomass was significantly related to bottom depth, with greatest total biomass located inshore (<50 m). Distribution across the shelf varied with zooplankton size. Seasonal differences in copepod size composition suggest that a smaller, younger community occupied the cool, chlorophyll-rich waters offshore from the St Lucia upwelling cell in winter, and a larger, older community occurred within the relatively warm and chlorophyll-poor central bight in summer. Nutrient enrichment from quasi-permanent upwelling off Durban and Richards Bay appears to have a greater influence on zooplankton biomass and distribution in the bight than the strongly seasonal nutrient input from the Thukela River.     

The Larval Fish Assemblage in Nearshore Coastal Waters off the St Lucia Estuary, South Africa

This paper reports on the composition, abundance and distribution of the larval fish assemblage in the nearshore coastal waters off the St Lucia Estuary mouth, South Africa. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected over a 12 month period from five stations located along a transect up to 2·5 km offshore, and from two stations north and south of the estuary mouth, respectively. In all, 6126 fish larvae, representing 89 families and 186 species, were collected. Larvae in the families Myctophidae and Tripterygiidae comprised 21% and 16% of the total catch, respectively. The most abundant species were an unidentified triplefin, Tripterygiid 1 and the lanternfish Benthosema fibulatum, together which contributed nearly 18% of the total catch. Larvae of marine spawners independent of estuaries dominated the catch both in terms of density (90%) and in terms of number of taxa (89%). Some larvae of estuarine-associated species were present, in addition to a few specimens of estuarine resident species. Overall the dominant environmental variable affecting larval densities was temperature, particularly for Trypterygiid 1 where temperature contributed to 9% of the variance model. Densities of fish larvae peaked in November and December 1990 (late spring and early summer) and were lowest from January to June 1991 (summer, autumn an early winter). Different taxa dominated the catch each month with reef- and shelf-associated species accounting for the peak in August and September 1990, oceanic species in November 1990 and a mixture of the two groups in December. Overall larval densities were significantly higher in bottom samples with a trend of increasing densities offshore for reef and shelf taxa. The larvae of reef and shore taxa were predominantly preflexion larvae, whilst the few estuarine spawner species that were collected were mainly postflexion. Ontogenetic patterns related to depth and distance offshore were evident for the dominant species in each estuarine-association category.The present study has shown that temporal and spatial variations in the larval fish assemblage off St Lucia are related to environmental conditions and ontogenetic behavioural patterns of certain species. The origin of many of the larvae in the assemblages off the coast of St Lucia is probably from both local spawning populations in the shelf waters off KwaZulu-Natal and spawning populations farther north in shelf waters off Mozambique. Additional studies with more detailed oceanographic measurements will further our understanding of the physical processes that supply larvae to the St Lucia region.     

Microalgal productivity in an estuarine lake during a drought cycle: The St. Lucia Estuary,South Africa

The St. Lucia estuarine lake on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is one of the largest estuarine systems in Africa and of unique importance for the adjacent marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The area regularly experiences periods of drought, resulting in hypersaline conditions in its shallow lakes and the closure of the estuarine mouth. This study aimed to assess the primary production rates of phytoplankton and microphytobenthos throughout an annual cycle of this drought phase. Primary production rates were assessed at representative sites, namely the Mouth, Narrows, South and North Lakes from June 2006 to May 2007. Because of the drought, the salinity gradient from the mouth to the head of the estuary was reversed by comparison to estuarine systems with a steady freshwater inflow and regular marine exchange. In March 2007, during the study, the mouth opened as a result of rough seas, and the marine influence broke the existing reversed gradient, producing a marine salinity throughout the system. Microphytobenthic primary productivity varied between 0 and 34 mg C m⁻² h⁻¹ and showed strong correlations with salinity, DIN:DIP ratios and irradiance. Benthic productivity was high across the system after breaching of the mouth. Pelagic primary productivity (between 0 and 180 mg C m⁻² h⁻¹), showed a correlation with temperature and irradiance and was highest across the system in February 2007 when the mouth was still closed. There was no significant correlation between production rates and biomass (chl-a) in either the benthic or pelagic habitats. The negative correlation between DIN:DIP ratio and benthic primary productivity indicated that phosphorus was the limiting nutrient. This study shows that salinity, along with seasonally dependent parameters such as temperature and irradiance, correlates with the rate of microalgal production. Hence, in these shallow lakes, the largest primary productivity can occur in either the pelagic or benthic subsystems, depending on prevailing conditions at the time.     

罗纳河中悬浮物质的痕量元素的研究

于1989年5月－1990年4月间,在罗纳河下游近河口处进行每月一次为期间个月的样品采集工作,并且样品用HNO3－HF－HCIO4湿法消化后,用原子吸收分光光度法测定了悬浮颗粒物中的Co,Cr,Cu,Mn和Pb含量。结果表明,在不同月份之间悬浮物中的痕量元素组成具有显著地差别,其中一些元素的浓度随流量的增加而减少,而另外一些似乎与流量之间没有显著的关联。在稳定体系的假设下,所估计的人文活动对痕量元素的贡献可占观测浓度的10％－50％。当与其它河流对比时,发现罗纳河中的颗粒态痕量元素的浓度明显高于那些受人文活动影响较小的体系,而与北美的河流系统接近,表明罗纳河流域的人文活动对河流中颗粒态痕量元素的影响是显著的。     

Effect of human activity on Lake Saroma (Japan) during the past 150 years: Evidence by variation of diatom assemblages

Diatom assemblages of the surface and in core sediment samples from Lake Saroma (Japan) were examined for the purpose of evaluating anthropogenic effect on the coastal environmental changes. Before the first inlet excavation, the lake's water quality and ecology were controlled by water exchange with the Okhotsk Sea as well as lake-level variation. However, large-scale ecological modification occurred, mainly due to artificial excavation and shellfish industrial farms. A distinct record of the succession of the dominant diatom taxa was preserved in core sediments. Low-oxygen water was prevalent in the lake in 1929, before the first inlet excavation. Immediately after the first inlet excavation, the low-oxygen water in the western basin of the lake began to disappear, in a trend that became increasing transparent, which has been attributed to an increasing rate of water exchange. However, the lacustrine environment of bottom sediments resumes deterioration 20 years after since the first artificial excavation: the resultant deposition of river-mouth materials into the deep basin caused eutrophication and environmental disturbance of the lake bottom. At the same time, the eutrophication of surface water became intensified with the onset of intense scallop culturing beginning in 1966. Increasing organic loads deposited onto the bottom layer in the form of excreta from the scallop nursery led to more oxygen deficiency and the elution of nitrogen and phosphorus from the sediment, which again brought about eutrophication of the surface layer. Such environmental change was reflected in a decrease of benthic diatom taxa and an increase of planktonic taxa, trends which have continued until today. Particularly, the numbers of diatom assemblage have been decreasing all over the lake during the last 10 years, which suggests that Lake Saroma's present-day deterioration and eutrophication will continue or become even worse.