Coral Transplantation: A Useful Management Tool or Misguided Meddling?

The primary objectives of coral transplantation are to improve reef ‘quality' in terms of live coral cover, biodiversity and topographic complexity. Stated reasons for transplanting corals have been to: (1) accelerate reef recovery after ship groundings, (2) replace corals killed by sewage, thermal effluents or other pollutants, (3) save coral communities or locally rare species threatened by pollution, land reclamation or pier construction, (4) accelerate recovery of reefs after damage by Crown-of-thorns starfish or red tides, (5) aid recovery of reefs following dynamite fishing or coral quarrying, (6) mitigate damage caused by tourists engaged in water-based recreational activities, and (7) enhance the attractiveness of underwater habitat in tourism areas. Whether coral transplantation is likely to be effective from a biological standpoint depends on, among other factors, the water quality, exposure, and degree of substrate consolidation of the receiving area. Whether it is necessary (apart from cases related to reason 3 above), depends primarily on whether the receiving area is failing to recruit naturally.

The potential benefits and dis-benefits of coral transplantation are examined in the light of the results of research on both coral transplantation and recruitment with particular reference to a 4.5 year study in the Maldives. We suggest that in general, unless receiving areas are failing to recruit juvenile corals, natural recovery processes are likely to be sufficient in the medium to long term and that transplantation should be viewed as a tool of last resort. We argue that there has been too much focus on transplanting fast-growing branching corals, which in general naturally recruit well but tend to survive transplantation and re-location relatively poorly, to create short-term increases in live coral cover, at the expense of slow-growing massive corals, which generally survive transplantation well but often recruit slowly. In those cases where transplantation is justified, we advocate that a reversed stance, which focuses on early addition of slowly recruiting massive species to the recovering community, rather than a short-term and sometimes short-lived increase in coral cover, may be more appropriate in many cases.     

The mobilization and deposition of mud deposits in a coastal plain estuary

Muddy sediments with their potential for containing contaminants are commonly deposited and remobilized by tidal currents in estuarine environments. We examined the mobilization and subsequent redeposition of mud in a coastal plain estuary located in the southeastern United States. Time-series data for salinity, suspended sediment concentrations and quality (percent organic matter and pigment concentrations) were obtained over a 13-hour tidal cycle. We found that fast-settling mud particles are found during the highest tidal current speeds. Particle quality analyses suggest that all the material is of similar origin, and that phaeopigment can be used as a tracer of particles in this system. These particles settle onto the bed when current speeds approach slack conditions. We speculate that the quantity of mud mobilized during neap tide is less than during spring tide resulting in an opportunity for the mud to partially consolidate on the bottom and be removed from resuspension. We further speculate that the muddy sediments are mainly derived from fringing marshes in this estuary.     

Groundwater Development Stress: Global‐Scale Indices Compared to Regional Modeling

The increased availability of global datasets and technologies such as global hydrologic models and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites have resulted in a growing number of global‐scale assessments of water availability using simple indices of water stress. Developed initially for surface water, such indices are increasingly used to evaluate global groundwater resources. We compare indices of groundwater development stress for three major agricultural areas of the United States to information available from regional water budgets developed from detailed groundwater modeling. These comparisons illustrate the potential value of regional‐scale analyses to supplement global hydrological models and GRACE analyses of groundwater depletion. Regional‐scale analyses allow assessments of water stress that better account for scale effects, the dynamics of groundwater flow systems, the complexities of irrigated agricultural systems, and the laws, regulations, engineering, and socioeconomic factors that govern groundwater use. Strategic use of regional‐scale models with global‐scale analyses would greatly enhance knowledge of the global groundwater depletion problem.     

Strong variation in weathering of layered rock maintains hillslope‐scale strength under high precipitation

The evolution of volcanic landscapes and their landslide potential are both dependent upon the weathering of layered volcanic rock sequences. We characterize critical zone structure using shallow seismic V_p and V_s profiles and vertical exposures of rock across a basaltic climosequence on Kohala peninsula, Hawai’i, and exploit the dramatic gradient in mean annual precipitation (MAP) across the peninsula as a proxy for weathering intensity. Seismic velocity increases rapidly with depth and the velocity–depth gradient is uniform across three sites with 500–600 mm/yr MAP, where the transition to unaltered bedrock occurs at a depth of 4 to 10 m. In contrast, velocity increases with depth less rapidly at wetter sites, but this gradient remains constant across increasing MAP from 1000 to 3000 mm/yr and the transition to unaltered bedrock is near the maximum depth of investigation (15–25 m). In detail, the profiles of seismic velocity and of weathering at wet sites are nowhere monotonic functions of depth. The uniform average velocity gradient and the greater depths of low velocities may be explained by the averaging of velocities over intercalated highly weathered sites with less weathered layers at sites where MAP > 1000 mm/yr. Hence, the main effect of climate is not the progressive deepening of a near‐surface altered layer, but rather the rapid weathering of high permeability zones within rock subjected to precipitation greater than ~1000 mm/yr. Although weathering suggests mechanical weakening, the nearly horizontal orientation of alternating weathered and unweathered horizons with respect to topography also plays a role in the slope stability of these heterogeneous rock masses. We speculate that where steep, rapidly evolving hillslopes exist, the sub‐horizontal orientation of weak/strong horizons allows such sites to remain nearly as strong as their less weathered counterparts at drier sites, as is exemplified by the 50°–60° slopes maintained in the amphitheater canyons on the northwest flank of the island. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics and implications of some Loch Lomond Stadial moraine ridges and later landforms,eastern Lake District,northern England

Moraine ridges and mounds of inferred Loch Lomond Stadial (LLS) age have been mapped at three sites (Fordingdale, Swindale and Wet Sleddale) in part of the eastern Lake District, northern England, and indicate glaciers were more widespread than envisaged by Sissons (1980, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, Vol. 71, pp. 13–27). The moraines delimit closely the downslope/downvalley limits of the former glaciers but there is no geomorphological evidence with which to define their upslope/upvalley margins. The former glaciers are considered to have been nourished within the confines of their individual valley, cirque and hillside embayment respectively, rather than being outlet glaciers of plateau icefields. Estimated equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) are within the range of values determined previously for LLS glaciers in the Lake District and do not necessitate revision of established palaeoclimatic parameters. Individual ELAs were probably influenced by local factors; all three former glaciers had accumulation-area aspects between north and east, limiting the impact of direct solar radiation during the ablation season, and were adjacent to extensive areas of high ground to the west and/or south that would have facilitated transfer of snow to their surfaces by winds from those directions. In Fordingdale, three essentially contemporaneous depositional landforms occur upslope of the moraines and are considered to represent hillslope adjustments following wastage of glacier ice from the site. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interpretation of magnetic and gravity gradient tensor data using normalized source strength – A case study from McFaulds Lake,Northern Ontario,Canada

In this paper, we present a case study on the use of the normalized source strength (NSS) for interpretation of magnetic and gravity gradient tensors data. This application arises in exploration of nickel, copper and platinum group element (Ni‐Cu‐PGE) deposits in the McFaulds Lake area, Northern Ontario, Canada. In this study, we have used the normalized source strength function derived from recent high resolution aeromagnetic and gravity gradiometry data for locating geological bodies. In our algorithm, we use maxima of the normalized source strength for estimating the horizontal location of the causative body. Then we estimate depth to the source and structural index at that point using the ratio between the normalized source strength and its vertical derivative calculated at two levels; the measurement level and a height h above the measurement level. To discriminate more reliable solutions from spurious ones, we reject solutions with unreasonable estimated structural indices. This method uses an upward continuation filter which reduces the effect of high frequency noise. In the magnetic case, the advantage is that, in general, the normalized magnetic source strength is relatively insensitive to magnetization direction, thus it provides more reliable information than standard techniques when geologic bodies carry remanent magnetization. For dipping gravity sources, the calculated normalized source strength yields a reliable estimate of the source location by peaking right above the top surface. Application of the method on aeromagnetic and gravity gradient tensor data sets from McFaulds Lake area indicates that most of the gravity and magnetic sources are located just beneath a 20 m thick (on average) overburden and delineated magnetic and gravity sources which can be probably approximated by geological contacts and thin dikes, come up to the overburden.     

Multi-element signatures of stream sediments and sources under moderate to low flow conditions

This study assesses a simple sediment source tracing method using major- (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Si, Ti) and trace-element (Ba, Be, Ce, Co, Cr, Mo, Nd, Pb, Sr, Th, V, Y, Zn) signatures of stream suspended particulate matter (SPM), bed sediments and soils in a small agricultural catchment in NE Scotland. Whilst most erosion studies characterise the large amounts of material mobilised at the highest flows, this study aimed to assess properties of sediments during moderate to low flow periods. These occur more frequent than intense storms and are important in linking stream sediments, near-channel sources and aquatic ecosystem impacts. Data were transformed by multivariate statistical methods to compare elemental signatures of SPM (ranging from 3 to 53 mg L⁻¹ in the stream) and stream bed sediments with a limited number of near-channel source soils. Increased concentrations of Ce, Nd, Th and Y in subsoils contributed to the ability to discriminate between surface fieldslope and stream bank erosion sources. Stream bed sediments showed close matches with compositions of stream bank and arable surface soils, but signatures of SPM differed greatly from any of the sources. Large concentrations of Cr, Pb and Zn in SPM, particularly during summer (677, 177 and 661 mg kg⁻¹, respectively) exceeded water quality standards and were linked to an accumulation of trace elements associated with biological material. The potential for within-stream alteration of SPM in relation to erosion sources was confirmed by changes in the nature of the SPM organic matter observed by IR spectroscopy. Thus the potential is shown for multi-element signatures to give information on catchment sediment sources to aid land management decisions, given careful consideration of the effects of in-stream alteration of eroded material. However, this combined information may be beneficial to process understanding linking land use and stream ecosystems at critical ecological periods.     

Asteroid 21 Lutetia at 3 μm: Observations with IRTF SpeX

We present observations of Asteroid 21 Lutetia collected 2003–2008 using the SpeX instrument on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) covering 2–4 μm. We also reevaluate NSFCam observations obtained in 1996 (Rivkin, A.S., Lebofsky, L.A., Clark, B.E., Howell, E.S., Britt, D.T. [2000]. Icarus 145, 351–368). Taken together, these show deeper 3-μm band depths (of order 3–5%) in the southern hemisphere of Lutetia, and shallower band depths (of order 2% or less) in the north. Such variation is consistent with observations at shorter wavelength by previous workers (Nedelcu, D.A. et al. [2007]. Astron. Astrophys. 470, 1157–1164; Lazzarin, M. et al. [2010]. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 408, 1433–1437), who observed hemispheric-level variations from C-like spectra to X-like spectra.While the shallowness of absorption bands on Lutetia hinders identification of its surface composition, goethite appears plausible as a constituent in its southern hemisphere (Beck, P., Quirico, E., Sevestre, D., Montes-Hernandez, G., Pommerol, A., Schmitt, B. [2011]. Astron. Astrophys. 526, A85–A89). Mathematical models of space weathered goethite are most consistent with Lutetia’s southern hemisphere spectrum, but more work and further observations are necessary to confirm this suggestion.     

Physical characterisation and a biologically focused classification of “seamounts” in the New Zealand region

The physical, biological, and oceano‐graphic characteristics of seamounts of the New Zealand region of the South Pacific Ocean are poorly known. The aim of this study was to present a synopsis of the physical characteristics of seamounts within the region, and to present a preliminary classification using biologically meaningful variables. Data for up to 16 environmental variables were collated and used to describe the distribution and characteristics of the c. 800 known seamounts in the New Zealand region. Seamounts span a wide range of sizes, depths, elevation, geological associations and origins, and occur over the latitudinal range of the region, lying in different water masses of varying productivity, and both near shore and off shore. As such, it was difficult to generally describe New Zealand seamounts, as there is no “typical” feature. Thirteen environmental variables were included in a multivariate cluster analysis to identify 12 seamount similarity groupings, for a subset of over half the known seamounts. The groupings generally displayed an appreciable geographic distribution throughout the region, and were largely characterised by a combination of four variables (depth at peak, depth at base, elevation, and distance from continental shelf). In the future, the findings of the present study can be tested to determine the validity and usefulness of the approach for directing future biodiversity research and informing management of seamount habitat.     

Field test of the superconducting gravimeter as a hydrologic sensor

We report on a field test of a transportable version of a superconducting gravimeter (SG) intended for groundwater storage monitoring. The test was conducted over a 6-month period at a site adjacent to a well in the recharge zone of the karstic Edwards Aquifer, a major groundwater resource in central Texas. The purpose of the study was to assess requirements for unattended operation of the SG in a field setting and to obtain a gravimetric estimate of aquifer specific yield. The experiment confirmed successful operation of the SG, but water level changes were small (<0.3 m) leading to uncertainty in the estimate of specific yield. Barometric pressure changes were the dominant cause of both water level variations and non-tidal gravity changes. The specific yield estimate (0.26) is larger than most published values and dependent mainly on low frequency variations in residual gravity and water level time series.