High rates of bedload transport measured from infilling rate of large strudel-scour craters in the Beaufort Sea,Alaska

Strudel scours are craters in the sea floor as much as 25 m wide and 6 m deep, that are excavated by vertical drainage flow during the yearly spring flooding of vast reaches of shorefast ice surrounding arctic deltas; they form at a rate of about 2.5 km^?2 y^?1. We monitored two such craters in the Beaufort Sea and found that in relatively unprotected sites they fill in by deposition from bedload in 2 to 3 years. Net westward sediment transport results in sand layers dipping at the angle of repose westward into the strudel-scour crater, whereas the west wall of the crater remains steep to vertical. At the bottom the crater traps almost all bedload: sand, pebbles, and organic detritus. As infilling progresses, the materials are increasingly winnowed, and bypassing must occur. Over a 20m wide sector, an exposed strudel scour trapped 360 m³ of bedload during two seasons; this infilling represents a bedload transport rate of 9 m³ y^?1 m^?1. This rate should be applicable to a 4.5-km wide zone with equal exposure and similar or shallower depth. Within this zone, the transport rate is 40,500 m³ y^?1, similar to estimated longshore transport rates on local barrier beaches. Based on the established rate of cut and fill, all the delta-front deposits should consist of strudel-scour fill. Vibracores typically show dipping interbedded sand and lenses of organic material draped over steep erosional contacts, and an absence of horizontal continuity of strata—criteria that should uniquely identify high-latitude deltaic deposits. Given a short 2- to 3-year lifespan, most strudel scours seen in surveys must be old and partially filled. The same holds true for ice gouges and other depressions not adjusted to summer waves and currents, and therefore such features record events of only the past few years. In view of such high rates of bottom reworking of the shallow shelf, any human activities causing turbidity, such as dredging, would have little effect on the environment. However, huge amounts of transitory material trapped by long causeways planned for offshore development would result in major changes in the environment.     

Evaluation of the Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam. digestive gland metallothionein as a biomarker in a long-term field study: seasonal and spatial variability

A study was made of seasonal and spatial variability of metallothionein (MT) concentrations, determined spectrophotometrically in the soluble fraction of the digestive gland of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected between 1999 and 2001 from several coastal and estuarine locations along the central Eastern Adriatic coast (Croatia). The seasonal influence on the MT and metal concentrations (higher values in winter-spring season, than in summer-autumn season) is more pronounced than the local site-specific influence. Furthermore, within each season a significant site-specific dependence on the MT and trace metal variations can be detected. An inverse relationship of mussel condition index (CI) and temperature with MT and trace metals levels indicates the influence of food abundance and mussel annual reproductive cycle. Substantially higher concentrations of both MT and Cd were recorded in mussels inhabiting estuarine locations, possibly indicating a markedly higher Cd bioavailability at these locations. The positive correlations obtained between MT and Cd in all seasons except autumn support an argument for application of digestive gland MT as a biomarker of Cd exposure, providing evidence for assessing the most appropriate season for mussel sampling.     

Coastal erosion vs riverine sediment discharge in the Arctic Shelf seas

This article presents a comparison of sediment input by rivers and by coastal erosion into both the Laptev Sea and the Canadian Beaufort Sea (CBS). New data on coastal erosion in the Laptev Sea, which are based on field measurements and remote sensing information, and existing data on coastal erosion in the CBS as well as riverine sediment discharge into both the Laptev Sea and the CBS are included. Strong regional differences in the percentages of coastal erosion and riverine sediment supply are observed. The CBS is dominated by the riverine sediment discharge (64.45᎒⁶ t a^-1) mainly of the Mackenzie River, which is the largest single source of sediments in the Arctic. Riverine sediment discharge into the Laptev Sea amounts to 24.10᎒⁶ t a^-1, more than 70% of which are related to the Lena River. In comparison with the CBS, the Laptev Sea coast on average delivers approximately twice as much sediment mass per kilometer, a result of higher erosion rates due to higher cliffs and seasonal ice melting. In the Laptev Sea sediment input by coastal erosion (58.4᎒⁶ t a^-1) is therefore more important than in the CBS and the ratio between riverine and coastal sediment input amounts to 0.4. Coastal erosion supplying 5.6᎒⁶ t a^-1 is less significant for the sediment budget of the CBS where riverine sediment discharge exceeds coastal sediment input by a factor of ca. 10.     

Metallothioneins and cytosolic metals in Neomysis integer exposed to cadmium at different salinities

In the present study the induction of metallothioneins (MTs) and its relation to cytosolic metal concentrations (Zn, Cu and Cd) in the euryhaline crustacean Neomysis integer exposed to Cd at different salinities was studied. N. integer was exposed to the same free cadmium ion activity of 5.74 x 10(-9) mol l(-1) (i.e. 1/5 of the 96 h LC(50) value expressed as cadmium activity) in hypo-osmotic (5 psu), isosmotic (16 psu) and hyper-osmotic media (25 psu) for 7 days. In this way, the effect of salinity on cadmium speciation was eliminated and therefore the physiological effect of salinity on Cd accumulation and MT induction could be studied. The accumulation of cytosolic Cd in N. integer changed with salinity from 1.11+/-0.05 micromol l(-1) at 5 psu up to 1.43+/-0.17 micromol l(-1) at 25 psu. This could indicate that the physiological response of euryhaline estuarine invertebrates like N. integer to salinity changes can influence the rate of trace metal uptake from solution. While the salinity changes did not cause significant differences in cytosolic Zn concentrations (mean value of all tested salinities: 34.4+/-2.8 micromol l(-1)), an inverse relationship between salinity and cytosolic Cu concentration was observed. The highest concentration of 15.7+/-2.3 micromol Cul(-1) was determined at 5 psu and the lowest 10.9+/-1.4 micromol Cul(-1) at 25 psu. This could point to a possible relationship between the copper concentration and the hemocyanin metabolism in N. integer. This is the first time that differential pulse voltammetry method was applied to MT assays with N. integer. Although the exposure to Cd resulted in a higher Cd cytosolic concentration, no subsequent MT increase was detected. The significant positive correlation between MT levels and cytosolic Cu concentrations (Spearman correlation coefficient r(s)=0.356, p=0.009) implies a strong relationship between MT and Cu in N. integer.     

Petrogenetic evolution of the Early Miocene Ala?amda? volcano-plutonic complex, northwestern Turkey: implications for the geodynamic framework of the Aegean region

Extensional-tectonic processes have generated extensive magmatic activity that produced volcanic/plutonic rocks along an E-W-trending belt across north-western Turkey; this belt includes granites and coeval volcanic rocks of the Ala?amdağ volcano-plutonic complex. The petrogenesis of the Early Miocene Ala?amdağ granitic and volcanic rocks are here investigated by means of whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopic data along with field, petrographic and whole-rock geochemical studies. Geological and geochemical data indicate two distinct granite facies having similar mineral assemblages, their major distinguishing characteristic being the presence or absence of porphyritic texture as defined by K-feldspar megacrysts. I-type Ala?amdağ granitic stocks have monzogranitic-granodioritic compositions and contain a number of mafic microgranular enclaves of monzonitic, monzodioritic/monzogabbroic composition. Volcanic rocks occur as intrusions, domes, lava flows, dykes and volcanogenic sedimentary rocks having (first episode) andesitic and dacitic-trachyandesitic, and (second episode) dacitic, rhyolitic and trachytic-trachydacitic compositions. These granitic and volcanic rocks are metaluminous, high-K, and calc-alkaline in character. Chondrite-normalised rare earth element patterns vary only slightly such that all of the igneous rocks of the Ala?amdağ have similar REE patterns. Primitive-mantle-normalised multi-element diagrams show that these granitic and volcanic rocks are strongly enriched in LILE and LREE pattern, high (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i and low ε _Nd(t) ratios suggesting Ala?amdağ volcano-plutonic rocks to have been derived from hybrid magma that originated mixing of co-eval lower crustal-derived more felsic magma and enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle-derived more mafic magmas during extensional processes, and the crustal material was more dominant than the mantle contribution. The Ala?amdağ volcano-plutonic complex rocks may form by retreat of the Hellenic/Aegean subduction zone, coinciding with the early stages of back-arc extension that led to extensive metamorphic core-complex formation.     

The sea sled — a device for measuring bottom profiles in the surf zone

The Sea Sled is a simple, easily constructed device for obtaining relatively accurate and quick bottom profiles in the surf zone. The onshore — offshore motion associated with the passage of waves propels the sled on both its seaward traverse and the shoreward return. The device has been successfully used along the California coast.     

Cellular energy allocation in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the stratified estuary as a physiological biomarker

This study demonstrates the usefulness of cellular energy allocation (CEA) evaluations as a physiological biomarker to infer the occurrence of natural stress in native populations of mussels inhabiting the stratified estuary (Krka River estuary, Croatia). Sampling sites were selected based on their differences in the salinity and temperature. The CEA value was calculated as a ratio between available energy (E_a) and energy consumption (E_c). Generally, higher values of E_a were recorded in June than in November, which were especially evident in the storage components (carbohydrates and lipids), while the constitutive component (proteins) remained relatively constant. The highest E_c was recorded in mussels at estuarine site compared to coastal site, which may be caused by the energetically costly maintenance of osmotic balance. Decrease in CEA recorded in estuarine mussels may ultimately result in a lower amount of energy available for growth, reproduction, or defence against other stresses (e.g. pollution).     

An extensional and transtensional origin of elongated magmatic domes and localised transfer faults in the northern Menderes metamorphic core complex,western Turkey

The northern Menderes metamorphic core complex has complex exhumation history and is one of the key localities to investigate the spatial and temporal relationships of extensional and compressional structures. Detachment faults and syn-extensional plutons are linked to a series of antiforms and synforms and the denudation of the northern Menderes Massif occurred in three stages. The first stage is related to the development of detachment faults under the consistent NE–SW-directed extension. The second stage is represented by a series of elongated magmatic domes that were oriented parallel, oblique and perpendicular to the regional extension direction. Emplacement of these asymmetrical magmatic domes appears to have been controlled by heterogeneous extension and post-dates the extensional Simav detachment fault. On the third stage, progressive heterogeneous extension that led to updoming of plutons has been finally accommodated by a localised and short-lived transfer zone, which was described as the Gerni shear zone for the first time in this study. The transfer zone is formed by a NE-striking, dextral ductile/brittle shear zone that accommodated the propagation of folds, conjugated strike-slip faults and normal- and oblique-slip faults. Mylonites associated with the transfer zone are related to the localisation of strain along the thermally weakened strike-slip fault systems by short-lived intrusions rather than to the development of regional-scale detachment faults. These structures are consistent with a transtensional simple shear model, which properly explains the evolution of extensional and compressional structures exposed in the northern Menderes core complex. Structural setting of the E?rigöz region is somewhat similar to that of the NE-trending gneiss domes in the northern Menderes Massif and updoming of magma during late stages of detachment faulting appears to have played an important role in the exhumation of lower and upper plate rocks.