Seasonal variations in prey selection by estuarine black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus)

The number of black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus) in the Clyde Estuary is large. In summer the average density has reached 1350 gulls km^?2 and in winter 180 gulls km^?2. This paper compares prey selection and feeding efficiency in gulls during summer and winter on tidal flats, and considers how seasonal differences may be adaptations to cope with seasonal changes in prey availability.Gross and net rates of energy intake were highest in summer because gulls captured more of the polychaete N. diversicolor than the amphipod C. volutator. In winter, gulls selected for C. volutator and therefore an energetically less profitable diet. Throughout the year gulls selected more C. volutator relative to N. diversicolor than expected on energetic grounds and so apparently did not maximize potential net rate of energy intake.Gulls used three techniques to capture prey and made most intensive use of the ‘crouch’ technique. Crouching gulls attained a much higher net rate of energy intake than ‘upright’ or ‘paddling’ gulls.A log-linear model showed that (a) season, water depth and gull density determined feeding technique and (b) feeding technique and season independently determined foraging success and prey selection. Thus gull density and water depth acted on prey selection through imposed variations in feeding technique.Reasons for gulls selecting energetically unprofitable C. volutator and for the use of several distinct feeding techniques are discussed.     

Particulate organic matter in the coastal and estuarine waters of Goa and its relationship with phytoplankton production

In the coastal and estuarine waters of Goa, particulate organic carbon (POC) varied from 0.52 to 2.51 mg l^?1 and from 0.28 to 5.24 mg l^?1 and particulate phosphorus (PP) varied from 0.71 to 5.18 μg l^?1 and from 0.78 to 20.34 μg l^?1, respectively. The mean values of chlorophyll and primary productivity were 1.94 mg m^?3 and 938.1 mg C m^?2 day^?1 in the coastal waters and 4.3 mg m^?3 and 636.5 mg C m^?1 day^?1 in the estuarine waters, respectively.$\text{POC}\text{chl}$ ratios were low in June and October even when POC values were quite high. The POC in surface waters was linearly correlated with the chlorophyll content. Also PP increased when chlorophyll and primary productivity remained high. The results suggest that the phytoplankton was sharply increasing and contributed to POC and PP content. The percentage of detritus calculated from the intercept values of chlorophyll on POC varied from 46 to 76% depending on season. Results indicate that the major portion of POC and PP during postmonsoon (October–January) is derived from phytoplankton production while the allochthonous matter predominate during monsoon (June–September).     

基于遥感技术对黄河口水色与岸线季相变化特征研究

使用Landsat-5 TM 2004年11月24日与2005年5月13日黄河口遥感影像,配合准同期外业实测资料,进行黄河口水体水色物质叶绿素a与悬浮泥沙的动态反演与河口岸线解译.研究表明由于秋末与春初黄河上游来水物质含量的差异,上述悬浮指标值存在显著的季相差异.根据样值与光谱特征建立的反演模型得出的反演值与实测值有平均在0.85以上的相关关系,具有很好的反演效果.岸线解译成果表明,黄河口岸线演变迅速,在河流平枯水量时期仍然具有较强的变化,岸线推进尤以新河口附近显著.这表明,使用遥感手段是进行河口生态环境质量监测的有效手段,是进行岸线动态变化研究的一种基本技术支撑手段.     

Biostratigraphic and aminostratigraphic constraints on the age of the Middle Pleistocene glacial succession in north Norfolk,UK

Considerable debate surrounds the age of the Middle Pleistocene glacial succession in East Anglia following some recent stratigraphical reinterpretations. Resolution of the stratigraphy here is important since it not only concerns the glacial history of the region but also has a bearing on our understanding of the earliest human occupation of north‐western Europe. The orthodox consensus that all the tills were emplaced during the Anglian (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12) has recently been challenged by a view assigning each major till to a different glacial stage, before, during and after MIS 12. Between Trimingham and Sidestrand on the north Norfolk coast, datable organic sediments occur immediately below and above the glacial succession. The oldest glacial deposit (Happisburgh Till) directly overlies the ‘Sidestrand Unio‐bed’, here defined as the Sidestrand Hall Member of the Cromer Forest‐bed Formation. Dating of these sediments therefore has a bearing on the maximum age of the glacial sequence. This paper reviews the palaeobotany and describes the faunal assemblages recovered from the Sidestrand Unio‐bed, which accumulated in a fluvial environment in a fully temperate climate with regional deciduous woodland. There are indications from the ostracods for weakly brackish conditions. Significant differences are apparent between the Sidestrand assemblages and those from West Runton, the type site of the Cromerian Stage. These differences do not result from contrasting facies or taphonomy but reflect warmer palaeotemperatures at Sidestrand and a much younger age. This conclusion is suggested by the higher proportion of thermophiles at Sidestrand and the occurrence of a water vole with unrooted molars (Arvicola) rather than its ancestor Mimomys savini with rooted molars. Amino acid racemisation data also indicate that Sidestrand is significantly younger than West Runton. These data further highlight the stratigraphical complexity of the ‘Cromerian Complex’ and support the conventional view that the Happisburgh Till was emplaced during the Anglian rather than the recently advanced view that it dates from MIS 16. Moreover, new evidence from the Trimingham lake bed (Sidestrand Cliff Formation) above the youngest glacial outwash sediments (Briton's Lane Formation) indicates that they also accumulated during a Middle Pleistocene interglacial – probably MIS 11. All of this evidence is consistent with a short chronology placing the glacial deposits within MIS 12, rather than invoking multiple episodes of glaciation envisaged in the ‘new glacial stratigraphy’ during MIS 16, 12, 10 and 6. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

川西前陆盆地中—新生代沉积迁移与构造转换

川西前陆盆地中—新生代各构造层的残余厚度展布和沉积特征分析发现,四川克拉通周缘的前陆盆地在晚三叠世时期发育于龙门山山前,明显属于龙门山褶皱逆冲构造载荷所形成的前渊凹陷;侏罗纪早期的沉积地层呈面状分布,没有表现出显著的挠曲沉降,指示了一个构造相对平静的阶段;中侏罗世早期前渊凹陷迁移至龙门山北段和米仓山山前,前渊沉积从晚三叠世的北东向转换为近东西向,广泛的湖泊相沉积预示了前陆盆地的欠充填状态;中侏罗世中晚期,川西盆地沉降中心又迁移到大巴山山前,相应的挠曲变形又从近东西向转化为北西向,构成了大巴山的前渊凹陷;晚侏罗世—早白垩世时期,沉降中心再次回到米仓山山前,巨厚的前渊凹陷沉积指示了米仓山冲断带的主要活动时期;白垩纪末—古近纪的前渊凹陷则跃迁至雅安—名山地区。川西前陆盆地的同造山沉降中心以四川盆地中心为核心在西部和北部呈弧形迁移,沉积序列不断更替和叠加。中生界各构造层底界构造图显示现今的构造低部位位于川西北地区和川西南地区,在川西北地区均有东西走向的等值线分布,而川西南地区等值线走向则为北东-南西向。因此分析认为,晚侏罗世至早白垩世的构造变形可能控制了川西盆地现今的地层变形,形成了川西北地区的南北向构造挤压结构,而晚期的新生代构造变形则主要体现在川西盆地的西南部,形成北东-南西向的地层展布特征。     

棉兰老涡旋的数值模拟

用一个水平分辨率比较高的非线性正压模式,对热带西太平洋海域里的海流进行了数值模拟。计算海流与观测结果颇相一致。结果表明:赤道以北、棉兰老岛以东附近海域中,棉兰老冷涡在一年的大部分时间里都得到发展,但是其范围、强度和中心位置在各个月份并不相同,显示出很强的季节变化;在哈马黑拉岛东北海域,6月份突然出现了一个反气旋式的涡旋;这个涡旋8月份发展得最强,一直持续到10月份,在11月份就消亡了。     

关于南海暖水季节和年际变化的研究

阐述了研究南海暖水的意义 ,综述了关于南海暖水的现状 ,提出了关于南海暖水季节和年际变化方面应该研究的问题     

崇明东滩沉积环境探讨

为探讨崇明东滩的沉积环境，了解崇明东滩的植被、水动力等对沉积的影响，对崇明进行了为期一年的实地观测和采样实验分析研究，研究结果表明：①沉积物中含有细砂、粉砂、黏土，其中粉砂是主要组分。塑造滩地的动力以潮汐作用为主，波浪作用居于次要地位；②沉积物的平均粒径自北线断面向南线断面、自高潮向低潮滩有逐渐变粗、分选变差的趋势，且平均粒径具有明显的季节变化；③潮滩季节性冲淤变化主要是与不同季节水文条件的差异性、潮滩植被季节变化及风暴天气等有关。     

Influence of Current Width Variation on the Annual Mean Transport of the East Sakhalin Current: A Simple Model

Recent observations suggest that the annual mean southward transport of the East Sakhalin Current (ESC) is significantly larger than the annual mean Sverdrup transport. Motivated by this observational result, transport of a western boundary current has been investigated using a simple numerical model with a western slope. This transport is defined as the instantaneous barotropic transport integrated from the western boundary to the offshore point where the barotropic velocity vanishes. The model, forced by seasonally varying wind stress, exhibits an annual mean of the western boundary current transport that is larger than that of the Sverdrup transport, as observed. The southward transport from October to March in the model nearly equals the instantaneous Sverdrup transport, while the southward transport from April to September decreases slowly. Although the Sverdrup transport in July vanishes, the southward transport in summer nearly maintains the annual mean Sverdrup transport, because the barotropic Rossby wave cannot intrude on the western slope. This summer transport causes the larger annual mean. Although there are some uncertainties in the estimation of the Sverdrup transport in the Sea of Okhotsk, the seasonal variation of the southward transport in the model is qualitatively similar to the observations.