Seasonality and interannual variability of freshwater inflow to a large oligohaline estuary in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Quantity, timing, duration, and fluctuation of freshwater inflow are important factors affecting the development and health of aquatic and adjacent wetland ecosystems in coastal estuaries. This study assessed six decades of freshwater inflow from the Amite River, Tickfaw River, and Tangipahoa River watersheds to Lake Pontchartrain, a large oligohaline estuary in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, whose flood waters caused recent damage to the city of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. By utilizing the long-term (1940–2002) river discharge and climatic data from the three major tributary watersheds, monthly and annual freshwater inflows have been quantified and their spatial and temporal variations have been analyzed. On average, the three rivers discharged (±standard error) 0.27 ± 0.04 km³ freshwater monthly and 3.29 ± 0.15 km³ freshwater annually into the lake estuarine system, with the highest inflow from the Amite River (0.16 ± 0.03 m³ mon⁻¹, and 1.91 ± 0.09 km³ yr⁻¹) and the lowest inflow from the Tickfaw River (0.03 ± 0.00 km³ mon⁻¹, and 0.34 ± 0.02 km³ yr⁻¹). A distinct seasonality was evident with over 69% of the total annual inflow occurring during December and May (wet months) and with a low flow period from August to November (dry months). The monthly inflow during the wet months was positively correlated with the monthly precipitation (r² = 0.64), while the monthly inflow during the dry months was subject to evapotranspiration. Furthermore, the study found a 20-year low flow period from 1954–1973 (2.76 ± 0.24 km³ yr⁻¹) and a 24-year high flow period from 1975–1998 (3.84 ± 0.24 km³ yr⁻¹), coinciding with both the climate variation and population growth in the watersheds.     

冲绳海槽北部西坡的古三角洲沉积

自20世纪70年代我国开展东海海洋地质调査以来,在海底经常能发现河流、河口沉积物以及与水道相似的负地形、称为古河道、古三角洲或古河口等(李全兴,1990；金翔龙,1992；石斯器等,1989；秦蕴珊等、1987)第四纪气候频繁波动，造成陆架上尤其是外陆架上陆相地层与海相地层频繁交替,因此有不同时期的古三角洲和古河道保留,沉溺的古河道在我国陆架海底的不少地区均有发现。由于海底沉积作用的不均衡性,埋藏较浅的沉溺河谷从地形特征上依稀可辨,埋藏较深的在海底表面则渺无踪迹,只有借助于高分辦率的地球物理测量,才能发现其踪迹。 晚更新世末期，长江、黄河是否流经东海陆架区进入冲绳海槽,虽有不少作者论述,但终因缺少系统的实测资料而未取得共识。长江、黄河在历史上每年向大海输入巨量泥沙,加快了海淤积和推进速度,但古长江三角洲也应该是体积大、构造特征明显的大型堆积体,然而至今尚未有这方面的报道。 作者对冲绳海槽北部进行大面积高分辨率浅地层剖面分析中,发现在陆架外缘坡折线附近,近海底表面处存在大面积斜层理三角洲沉积结构,这为晚更新世末期以来自我国的大河(黄河/长江)从冲绳海槽入海提供了新的证据。     

现代黄河三角洲地面沉降及其原因分析

为全面和具体地了解整个黄河三角洲的地面沉降状况,收集了现代黄河三角洲地区1956、1967、1980年1∶5万比例尺的地形图资料,利用地理信息系统软件进行数字化、建立高程数据库,生成数字高程模型。通过对不同时期数字高程进行空间运算发现,1956—1980年间黄河三角洲地区地面沉降现象普遍,沉降区年平均沉降数厘米。基于数字高程空间分析结果,探讨了诱发三角洲地面沉降的自然和人为因素。     

海浪数值模式研究回顾与进展

本文简单介绍了海浪的生成、发展理论,以及海浪数值模式的分类;回顾总结了国内外在海浪数值模式研究方面取得的成果。     

PLS-ANN分析血浆自体荧光光谱的二阶导数光谱识别胃癌

探讨偏最小二乘法结合神经网络法(简称PLS-ANN)分析血浆自体荧光光谱的二阶导数光谱识别胃癌的优势,对20例胃癌病人和23例健康人血浆进行以405nm为激发光的自体荧光光谱检测,采用PLS-ANN法分别对血浆自体荧光光谱和二阶导数光谱进行判别分析。PLS-ANN分析血浆的自体荧光光谱法诊断胃癌的灵敏度为75%,特异度为83%,准确率为79%,PLS-ANN分析血浆的二阶导数光谱法诊断胃癌的灵敏度为90%,特异度为96%,准确率为93%。结果表明PLS-ANN分析血浆的二阶导数光谱法识别胃癌,优于PLS-ANN分析血浆的自体荧光光谱法,有望成为快速识别胃癌的较理想方法。     

Processes Causing the Temporal Changes in Si/N Ratios of Nutrient Consumptions and Export Flux during the Spring Diatom Bloom

Two processes are generally explained as causes of temporal changes in the stoichiometric silicon/nitrogen (Si/N) ratios of sinking particles and of nutrient consumption in the surface water during the spring diatom bloom: (1) physiological changes of diatom under the stress of photosynthesis of diatom and (2) differences of regeneration between silicon and nitrogen. We investigated which process plays an important role in these changes using a one-dimensional ecosystem model that explicitly represents diatom and the other non-silicious phytoplankton. The model was applied to station A7 (41°30′ N, 145°30′ E) in the western North Pacific, where diatom regularly blooms in spring. Model simulations show that the Si/N ratios of the flux exported by the sinking particles at 100 m depth and of nutrient consumptions in the upper 100 m surface water have their maxima at the end of the spring diatom bloom, the values and timings of which are significantly different from each other. Analyses of the model results show that the differences of regeneration between silicon and nitrogen mainly cause the temporal changes of the Si/N ratios. On the other hand, the physiological changes of diatoms under stress can hardly cause these temporal changes, because the effect of the change in the diatom's uptake ratio of silicon to nitrogen is cancelled by that in its sinking rate.     

A Zonal Pathway for NADW in the South Atlantic

Several large deployments of neutrally buoyant floats took place within the Antarctic Intermediate (AAIW), North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), and the Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) of the South Atlantic in the 1990s and a number of hydrographic sections were occupied as well. Here we use the spatially and temporally averaged velocities measured by these floats, combined with the hydrographic section data and various estimates of regional current transports from moored current meter arrays, to determine the circulation of the three major subthermocline water masses in a zonal strip across the South Atlantic between the latitudes of 19°S and 30°S. We concentrate on this region because the historical literature suggests that it is where the Deep Western Boundary Current containing NADW bifurcates. In support of this notion, we find that a net of about 5 Sv. of the 15–20 Sv that crosses 19°S does continue zonally eastward at least as far as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Once across the ridge it takes a circuit to the north along the ridge flanks before returning to the south in the eastern half of the Angola Basin. The data suggest that the NADW then continues on into the Indian Ocean. This scheme is discussed in the context of distributions of dissolved oxygen, silicate and salinity. In spite of the many float-years of data that were collected in the region a surprising result is that their impact on the computed solutions is quite modest. Although the focus is on the NADW we also discuss the circulation for the AAIW and AABW layers.     

The fate of dumped sediments monitored by a high-resolution multibeam echosounder system,Weser Estuary,German Bight

With the development of high-resolution multibeam echosounder systems (MBES) for surveying shallow-water areas a new tool is available to monitor rapid changes in seabed morphology as, e.g., caused by the dumping of dredge spoil in coastal waters. In this study, four data sets of repeated bathymetric surveys with a MBES were processed and analyzed. The data were collected in a 1.94-km² dumping site in the outer Weser Estuary (German Bight). Between June and December 1998, 2.6 million m³ of dredged sediment were deposited there. The bathymetric maps generated in the course of this study reveal features such as subaqueous dunes, scour holes, and mounds of dumped dredge spoil. The mean water depth decreased by about 1 m during the dumping period. Furthermore, difference grids showing changes in sediment volume allowed a calculation of the sediment budget for the monitored area. After a time period of only 5 months, 0.5 million m³ of the originally dumped 2.6 million m³ of dredge spoil had already been removed from the dumping site.     

银川盆地中更新世以来的孢粉记录及古气候研究

银川盆地中更新世以来的孢粉记录及据此所重建的古气候参数，揭示了该区中更新世以来的古气候演变特征，其演变经过了温湿→凉湿→温和→冷湿→温干→凉较湿→冷湿→温干→凉润→温较干→温干的变化，并与新疆地区，黄土高原以及深海δ^18O曲线进行了对比，结果表明，各地的古环境变化大致同步，该区由于位置靠西，邻近沙漠，最近地质历史时期的区域性干旱特色明显。     

Identification of Epinephelus malabaricus and Epinephelus coioides using DNA markers

1 IntroductionBothEpinephelus malabaricusandE. coioidesbelong to the genusEpinephelus(Perciformes: Ser-ranidae: Epinephelinae).They are warm water reeffishes that have similar distribution ranges as well assimilar morphological characteristics, which have…