Seagrass landscape-scale changes in response to disturbance created by the dynamics of barrier-islands: A case study from Ria Formosa (Southern Portugal)

This study documents long-term changes of a Zostera noltii landscape induced by a natural cyclic event in a coastal lagoon. The barrier-islands forming this system are very dynamic with drifting movements controlling ecological patterns and processes occurring in this area. Changes in the areal extent of the Z. noltii meadows were assessed using historical aerial photographs from 1940, 1980, 1989, 1996 and 1998. Landscape indices such as total patch area (TA), mean patch size (MPS), number of patches (NP), mean shape coefficient of variation (CV) and landscape fractal dimension (D) were calculated for each year and related to an index of disturbance intensity. The spatial distribution of the Z. noltii meadows varied greatly during the studied period and changes observed were related to the disturbance created by the barrier-islands' spatial dynamics. After an artificial inlet relocation the Z. noltii area, number of patches, patch mean size and coefficient of variation decreased. The fractal dimension of the Z. noltii landscape increased by 50% showing that besides a decrease in total area, number of patches, and patch mean area, patch fragmentation was an important consequence of this anthropogenic disturbance.Seagrass natural distribution patterns changed in response to natural and human-induced activities. This study emphasizes the importance of the landscape approach and the historical perspective when studying seagrass changes and the importance of taking into consideration long-term changes in seagrass landscapes to avoid confusion between man-induced effects with natural cyclic events.     

悬对沙Mellor-Yamada海洋边界层模型计算结果的影响

为了分析海洋水体垂向水流紊动及紊动交换情况而采用了一维的海洋边界层模型(Mellor-Yamada)并利用数值实验的方法对悬沙、盐度、温度等数据进行分析。原模型未将悬沙考虑在内，本文试将它引入进去探讨由于它的存在对紊动混合特性的影响。2000年4月，Mellor将最初的模型引入了依赖于Richardson数的紊动动能耗散率。本文通过比较具有悬沙和不具有悬沙两种情况下的速度、温度和盐度垂向分布随时间的变化，分析讨论由于悬沙的存在所引发的密度层化对紊动混合作用的影响，并发现悬浮泥沙抑制了部分模拟时间的紊动混合作用。     

生物胺对锯缘青蟹大颚器发育的调节作用

雌性锯缘青蟹(Scylla serrata)于实验的第1天、第5天、第10天，分别注射100μL剂量为1μg／g体质量的5-HT，OA和DA，第15天解剖。结果表明，5-HT对锯缘青蟹大颚器发育具有显的促进作用，OA和DA的作用不明显。经免疫细胞化学检测，大颚器内存在5-HT免疫阳性细胞，免疫阳性细胞多数为卵圆形，少数具有很长的胞突，该结果首次为5-HT参与大颚器的生理活动提供了形态学证据。     

江豚的饲养管理与疾病防治

在对一头因误捕而受伤的江豚(Neophocaena phocaenoides)的治疗和饲养过程中,探索并积累了江豚的一些外伤治疗方法、常见内科疾病的诊断和治疗经验、日常所需维生素的补充,以及江豚生活环境的控制要求,为人工条件下饲养江豚提供参考。     

Cyclic inelastic behavior and analytical modelling of pile–leg interaction in jacket type offshore platforms

Structures in locations susceptible to severe seismic disturbances should be designed properly in order to resist lateral forces induced by earthquake motions. Steel offshore platforms are some of those structures which are built to withstand environmental and accidental loads during oil exploitation operation. Particular attention is being paid to earthquake loads in seismic active areas because it directly influences the capacity of the offshore installations.

In this paper, a small-scaled planar platform has been modelled analytically using nonlinear finite element program, based on an experimental test, conducted simultaneously in order to assess the local and global behavior of pile–leg interaction in Jacket Type Offshore Platforms (JTOPs). A combination of nonlinear beam column elements and fatigue affected elements are used to capture the inelastic cyclic behavior of planar frame as accurately as possible. Results of analytical tests are to be compared with experiments and it is concluded that an analytical approach can be best used for modelling JTOPs with reasonable accuracy regardless of the type and scale of the structure. Moreover, a special study on joints has been carried out and the best model has been selected to simulate brittle behavior of joints resulting from heat affected zone.     

A Moored Underwater Energy Conservation System for Profiling Measurement

There is a need to obtain the hydrologic data including ocean current,wave,temperature and so on in the South China Sea.A new profiling instrument which does not suffer from the damage due to nature forces or incidents caused by passing ships,is under development to acquire data from this area.This device is based on a taut single point mid-water mooring system.It incorporates a small,instrumented vertically profiling float attached via an electromechanical cable to a winch integral with the main subsurface flotation.On a pre-set schedule,the instrument float with sensors is winched up to the surface if there is no ship passing by,which is defined by an on-board miniature sonar.And it can be immediately winched down to a certain depth if the sonar sensor finds something is coming.Since,because of logistics,the area can only be visited once for a long time and a minimum of 10 times per day profiles are desired,energy demands are severe.To respond to these concerns,the system has been designed to conserve a substantial portion of the potential energy lost during the ascent phase of each profile and subsequently use this energy to pull the instrument down.Compared with the previous single-point layered measuring mode,it is advanced and economica1.At last the paper introduces the test in the South China Sea.     

Copper, lead and cadmium in coastal waters of the western North Sea

Cadmium, lead and copper have been determined in both dissolved and particulate phases for 130 surface-water samples from the coastal zone of Scotland and England in the western North Sea. The concentrations reported are, in general, lower than those published previously for the same area.The distribution of total metal concentration between the dissolved and particulate phases varies for the three elements. The lead distribution is dominated by its associations with particulate material while cadmium shows the reverse behaviour, existing almost totally in the dissolved phase. Copper is intermediate in behaviour, with the dissolved phase generally being dominant.An inverse relationship between salinity and dissolved copper concentration suggests a freshwater origin for this element. It is suggested that sedimentary and/or anthropogenic sources affect dissolved copper concentrations in coastal waters. The dissolved lead distribution reveals plumes of contaminated coastal water. The lead distribution is, however, dominated by associations with particulate material and sediments which produce a sharp concentration gradient close to the coast. The Humber estuary is identified as a significant source of cadmium to the North Sea.     

Nature of the connection between the Northern and Southern Zechstein Basins across the Mid North Sea High

The seismic expression of a salt-filled channel which cuts across the Mid North Sea High in Quadrant 37 is described, with features interpreted as being produced by salt-edge dissolution forming both eastern and western margins of the channel. The apparent half-graben nature of the channel is shown to be only superficial, and due to complex faulting associated with, but not defining, its western margin. The shallower faulting here is a Mesozoic to early Tertiary growth fault related to local dissolution of Zechstein salt. The dissolution effect appears in turn to have been localized by the presence of a deeper fault that was already downthrown to the east in Zechstein times, when it seems to have limited the eastward progradation of Zechstein shelf carbonates and anhydrites, and had probably ceased to move significantly before the onset of the Late Cimmerian erosional phase. The origin of this arcuate fault is tentatively ascribed to subsidence around a granite batholith. Zechstein salt originally spread some distance to the east and west of the channel; it was dissolved from the edges inwards, mainly before the Late Cretaceous, giving rise to a thicker Mesozoic sequence on parts of the flanks of the channel than in the middle. Besides providing an interesting structural case history, the features described have implications regarding Zechstein sedimentation, reservoir potential, the tectonic history of the North Sea, and the nature of the Mid North Sea High itself.     

Performance of hemi-cylindrical and rectangular submerged breakwaters

A parametric experimental study is conducted to compare the reflection and transmission characteristics of submerged hemi-cylindrical and rectangular rigid and water-filled flexible breakwater models. The results show that, for the rigid breakwaters, rectangular models are more effective than hemi-cylindrical ones in terms of reduction of transmitted waves. As for the flexible breakwaters, the hemi-cylindrical models may give better wave reflection than rectangular ones. However, the energy loss induced by the rectangular breakwaters is much larger and more significant to result in an overall better efficiency in terms of reduction in wave transmission. The effects of internal pressure show that the lowest pressurized flexible models considered in this work are the most effective in the reduction of the transmitted wave height. Higher wave reflection, lower wave transmission and higher energy loss are obtained consistently at the lower submergence depth ratio.