Contrasting geomorphic response to structural control: The Loughros estuaries, northwest Ireland

Sediment-rich estuaries typically exhibit considerable dynamicity, with channel shifts and shoreline erosion/deposition occurring over timescales of years to decades. Contemporary behaviour is usually attributed to the immediate effect of short-term events (such as storms), longer-term forcing (such as sea-level change) or anthropogenic modifications to system controls (such as wave–tidal–fluvial regime and sediment supply). In this context, geological control is understood to provide an inherited framework within which an estuary will evolve. This paper examines the morphodynamics of two sand-filled, but sediment-limited, mixed-energy estuaries of Loughros Bay in northwest Ireland. Analysis of ebb channel morphometry shows that estuaries can be divided into upper and lower estuary components, which appear to represent a down-valley increasing energy gradient. Examination of historical ebb channel migration reveals three morphodynamic zones delimited by a significant spatial variability in channel mobility that reflects the distribution of specific structural controls along the estuary and their influence on the changing energy gradient. Based upon analysis of low tide channel migration over the last 172 years, three phases of geomorphic response are identified. In Loughros More, the behaviour is characterised by a 19th century phase of steady-state equilibrium; a subsequent period of dynamic response to extrinsic (storm) forcing; and, most recently, adjustment to intrinsically forced changes in structural control. In Loughros Beg, the phases are comparable, but contrast specifically in inlet and ebb-tidal behaviour. This analysis illustrates discontinuities in decadal- to century-scale forcing and morphological response, identified here as complex response. It suggests that the sedimentary evolution of coastal systems that have no appreciable external sediment supply is potentially more strongly determined by local variability in system character than climate or sea-level driven mechanisms.     

近20年辽河三角洲地貌演化

运用钻探和浅地层探测等最新调查成果,对近20年的辽河三角洲潮流沉积进行了研究.根据不同时期水深地形和卫星影像资料对比分析了现代辽河三角洲潮流地貌变化.现代辽河三角洲的沉积主体位于双台子河口.研究区10 m深度内的地层主要包括:潮滩相、潮道相和浅海相沉积,其下为古三角洲相.潮滩相沉积物以砂和粉砂为主,分选中等,跳跃和悬浮组分各占50%左右:浅海相和潮道相沉积物主要为软弱的粘土质粉砂和粉砂质粘土,以悬浮组分为主.全新世以来至1896年,研究区为古辽河、古大凌河和绕阳河之间的小海湾.1896年,双台子河被人工开挖为分洪河道以来,口门外形成盖州滩等潮滩,并快速发育.1958年,双台子河建闸后,人海径流量和输沙量减小.目前.双台子河口整体处于淤积状态,潮滩面积不断增加,整体向南、西、北3个方向扩展.潮滩最大淤进速率为87～683 m/a,平均淤积速率为0.189 m/a.潮滩东侧局部发生侵蚀,平均侵蚀速率为0.122 m/a.潮道面积缩小,具有向西、向北迁移的趋势,最大迁移速率为48～200m/a.双台子河口地貌发育受径流、海洋动力和人类活动的影响,沉积物的主要来源由双台子河河流输沙演变为潮流和沿岸流输沙.     

The Burrum River estuary: identifying reference sites for Australian sub-tropical estuarine systems using paleolimnological methods

There is a pressing need to obtain historical information on estuaries so that levels of natural variability and ecosystem thresholds can be identified. Once these factors are known, estuaries that exhibit high conservation value and minimal impact from anthropogenic activity can be acknowledged and protected. In order to understand and quantify the level of change that may have occurred due to human impact, near pristine estuaries that have the potential to act as reference sites need to be identified. However, this is often difficult due to a lack of documented knowledge of estuary variability. This paper retrospectively assesses environmental conditions in the Burrum River, a sub-tropical east Australian estuary on the coast of Queensland, using diatom and stable isotope analyses. These techniques were combined with AMS ¹⁴C dating methods to determine if this system has undergone any natural or anthropogenically induced change. Diatom assemblages have shown very little variation over the past 5,000 years, indicating minimal changes to water quality. Upper and lower limits for δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N stable isotope results also infer that the sources of carbon and nitrogen to the Burrum River estuary have remained constant over this time period. Carbon inputs have been dominated by marine autotrophic production, whilst nitrogen inputs are indicative of terrestrial sources. Hence, the Burrum River has not been altered by anthropogenic activities and is a suitable reference site for benchmarking impacted sub-tropical estuaries. This paper demonstrates that paleolimnological techniques can be applied successfully to identify estuaries that are suitable as reference sites.     

中国河口盐淡水混合特征研究

河口盐淡水混合受河口潮差、几何形态及淡水流量等诸多因素影响,并有着大小潮和洪枯季变化周期。本文在分析中国众多河口实测盐度分布资料的基础上,首次归纳了中国河口盐淡水混合的基本特征,给出数十个河口盐淡水混合的基本图式。并从高度分层型、部分混合型和强混合型三个类型,分别选择较典型的几个河口进行具体阐述。     

Are assemblages of black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) in different estuaries genetically distinct?

Samples of the estuarine-spawning teleostAcanthopagrus butcheri were collected from nine estuaries and a coastal lake, located in the Pilbara and South-western drainage divisions of Western Australia and distributed along a coastline covering a distance of nearly 2,000 km. The patterns of allozyme variation in these samples were used to explore the extent to which there was variation in the genetic compositions of black bream assemblages in geographically-isolated estuarine systems, and whether or not any such variation could be related to the geographical location or type of estuary. Although only three of 36 scorable loci (Gpi-1, Ldh andMdh-2) exhibited variation that could be used for analysis, there was considerable variation in allele frequencies at these loci among the different samples (mean F_ST=0.166). Much of the detected variation was attributable to differences between the samples collected from the two drainage divisions, which are located in very different climatic regions. Furthermore, the genetic compositions of samples from neighbouring estuaries were typically more similar to each other than to those of samples collected from more distantly-located systems. However, the assemblages in one west coast and two south coast estuaries, that are closed to the ocean for extensive periods of time during the year, all showed very similar genetic compositions. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognise that, pairwise comparisons of samples collected from the different estuaries, both within and between the two drainage divisions, almost invariably showed statistically significant differences in allele frequencies at one or more loci. Thus, our results indicate that the local populations of black bream in individual estuaries are genetically distinct, which is probably a consequence of both a limited movement by individuals between estuaries and the effects of differences in regional and local environmental conditions.     

Morphological evolution of the Dee Estuary, Eastern Irish Sea, UK: A tidal asymmetry approach

Asymmetry in the tide (unequal ebb and flood duration) is a dominant factor in causing residual sediment transport and morphological changes in estuaries. The evolution of estuarine morphology is a process of dynamic equilibrium in the short-term, while these features are ephemeral in the long-term. In this study we investigate the spatial distribution of tidal distortion and asymmetry in the Dee estuary, UK, by 3-dimensional numerical modelling methods. High resolution LIDAR surveys are used to underpin and explain our numerical modelling results in terms of basin hypsometry and areas of recent erosion and deposition. Harmonic analysis of the numerical modelling results showed that the shallower intertidal areas (sand and mud banks) were the most tidally asymmetric, showing flood dominance. The main navigation channels showed some ebb dominance but the tides here were relatively undistorted. This overall flood dominance is likely to induce net sediment import to the Dee, which explains known historical morphological changes (large scale accretion over the last two centuries) and also recent morphological changes as seen from the LIDAR surveys (which show predominantly net accretion between 2003 and 2006). Hypsometrical analysis suggests the Dee may be approaching equilibrium, and that the flood dominance and sedimentation rate may therefore decrease in the future. In an infilling estuary, an increase in the area and elevation of tidal flats can eventually shift an estuary towards ebb dominance, as shown by previous research and by ‘idealised estuary’ modelling results presented in this study. The large tidal amplitude to hydraulic depth ratio of the Dee, however, suggests that the tidal flats would have to be very extensive indeed for this to occur.     

瓯江河口输沙模式与应用研究*

本文从河口塑造与输沙关系、流域泄沙与输移模式,以及口外来沙与潮流输移特征等三方面,探讨河口区的泥沙运移规律和补给来源。并在此基础上,提出粗细不同粒级的造床泥沙按不同方式治理的设想。     

黄海南部海门近岸牡蛎礁发育的物质基础与环境背景

中国的现代牡蛎礁多发育在河口,但位于黄海南部的海门市近岸牡蛎礁却发育在非河口地区。利用对岩芯和剖面进行的岩相、粒度、硅藻及¹⁴C年代等因子的分析测试数据,对黄海南部的海门市近岸牡蛎礁的发育场所和环境背景进行了探讨。结果发现,该地在距今5630年左右发生了一次重要的沉积环境变化,由之前的潮间带环境转变为之后的河口砂坝或者受河口影响的潮流砂脊相环境,形成了适宜牡蛎生长和牡蛎礁发育的条件。尽管牡蛎礁现在出露在粉沙淤泥质潮滩上,但是其发育的基底不是粉砂淤泥质潮滩,而是河口砂坝或者受河口影响的潮流砂脊。黏土矿物特征还显示出,海门牡蛎礁的发育还与长江口的影响密切相关。     

布哈河河口三角洲1970-2010年间面积变化研究

通过对布哈河河口三角洲1970²010年间的5期MSS、TM、ETM遥感影像进行分析,发现其地貌形态发生了明显的变化,并对影响其变化的原因进行了探讨。结果表明:1)布哈河河口三角洲从1970到2000年呈扩张趋势,面积扩张达67.97 km2010年间的5期MSS、TM、ETM遥感影像进行分析,发现其地貌形态发生了明显的变化,并对影响其变化的原因进行了探讨。结果表明:1)布哈河河口三角洲从1970到2000年呈扩张趋势,面积扩张达67.97 km²,湖岸线扩张也十分明显,仅在19892,湖岸线扩张也十分明显,仅在1989²000年间平均推进量达0.56 km;2)布哈河河口三角洲在2000到2010年呈萎缩趋势,面积萎缩了9.85 km2000年间平均推进量达0.56 km;2)布哈河河口三角洲在2000到2010年呈萎缩趋势,面积萎缩了9.85 km²,湖岸线萎缩了0.44 km;3)造成三角洲形态变化是有诸多因素的,其主导因素为青海湖水位变动,其次是受到其它诸如河流输沙、人为干扰等因素的影响,这些影响的贡献度尚不明确,有待进一步探讨。布哈河作为青海湖国家级自然保护区的最大补给河流,对青海湖的生态、气候环境有很大程度的影响,研究其河口三角洲的地貌变化具有重要意义。     

New typologies for estuarine morphology

New theories to explain how tides and river flow determine estuarine bathymetries have been developed. The range of validity of these theories has been subsequently assessed against a recently available observational data set.Success in reproducing the evolution of estuarine bathymetries that has occurred over the last 10 000 years provides the basis for the translation, here, of these theories into new typologies. These then provide reference frameworks to enhance our perspective on existing morphologies and identify ‘anomalous’ estuaries. Further refinement of these new theories requires analyses of causal factors responsible for such anomalies drawing on classical morphological experience. These frameworks can also be used for calculating likely future bathymetric adjustments for prescribed changes in mean sea level, tidal amplitudes, river flow and sediment supply.     

Similarities between Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary

By analysis of published papers on the Yangtze estuary and hydrological and sediments data in Yangshan Harbor area, many similarities are found between Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary. These similarities include the phenomenon of stagnating flow areas, the distributive characteristics of the highest suspended sediment concentration areas, superficial sediments and shoal bars. The stagnating flow area is the major similarity which causes other similarities. These similarities indicate that: 1) Turbidity Maximum and mouth bars in estuaries are mainly caused by the hydraulic balance of stagnating flow areas of estuaries; 2) The stagnating sand area of sands caused by stagnating flow area often locates on the narrower side of the stagnating flow area; 3) The location (or shape) of fine sediments area caused by stagnating flow area reflects the location (or shape) of the stagnating flow area. Both Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary are the important developmental areas in the future (man-made similarity). In-depth studies on these similarities between Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary will have momentous theoretical and practical significance.     

Similarities between Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary

By analysis of published papers on the Yangtze estuary and hydrological and sediments data in Yangshan Harbor area, many similarities are found between Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary. These similarities include the phenomenon of stagnating flow areas, the distributive characteristics of the highest suspended sediment concentration areas, superficial sediments and shoal bars. The stagnating flow area is the major similarity which causes other similarities. These similarities indicate that: 1) Turbidity Maximum and mouth bars in estuaries are mainly caused by the hydraulic balance of stagnating flow areas of estuaries; 2) The stagnating sand area of sands caused by stagnating flow area often locates on the narrower side of the stagnating flow area; 3) The location (or shape) of fine sediments area caused by stagnating flow area reflects the location (or shape) of the stagnating flow area. Both Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary are the important developmental areas in the future (man-made similarity). In-depth studies on these similarities between Yangshan Harbor area and the Yangtze estuary will have momentous theoretical and practical significance.     

洋山港海域与长江口相似性研究

根据洋山港海域的水文泥沙观测资料和长江口的研究文献分析，洋山港海域与长江口存在较多相似现象。2者均存在滞流区现象是产生其它相似现象的根本原因。即高悬沙浓度区分布特征，表层沉积特征和浅滩区分布特征的相似性是滞流区现象的衍生效应。洋山港海域与长江口的诸多相似现象揭示：（1）滞流区的动力平衡作用是最大浑浊带和拦门沙浅滩形成的主导因素；（2）滞沙区通常位于滞流区地形束窄一侧；（3）滞流区的细颗粒物质沉积区与滞流点位置（或滞流区形态）有着较为一致的吻合性，洋山港海域与长江口区间属于未来开发的热点地区，对2者的相似现象开展深入的研究将有着较深的理论和实际意义。     

Contrasting sedimentation rates in Lake Illawarra and St Georges Basin,two large barrier estuaries on the southeast coast of Australia

Sedimentation rates over the last 100 years within two lagoons on the southeast coast of Australia, Lake Illawarra and St Georges Basin, have been quantified to determine the effects of catchment land use change and native vegetation clearance on infill rates, and spatial variations in the rate at which the estuaries have filled. Both catchments have similar lake and catchment area but have experience different degrees of modification due to land clearing for agriculture practices, urbanisation and industrialisation. Results indicate that in the heavily modified catchment of Lake Illawarra sedimentation rates close to fluvial deltas can be in excess of 16 mm/year, and between 2 and 4 mm/year in the adjacent central basin. This is approximately an order of magnitude greater than the pre-European rates. In contrast, at St Georges Basin, where the catchment has experienced much less modification, sedimentation rates in the central basin appear to have remained close to those prior to European settlement. However, sedimentation rates in the urbanized margin of St Georges Basin are relatively high (up to 4.4 mm/year). This rapid modern sedimentation in the margin of the estuarine embayments has been detected in several other estuaries in the region. However the degree of sedimentation within the bay-head deltas, and more significantly in the central basin appears proportional to the degree clearance of native vegetation (forest) in the catchment, urban expansion and development of heavy industry in the respective catchment areas.     

南极罗斯海高分辨率数字水深模型

数字水深模型是描绘海底地形地貌的水深地形图,在罗斯海陆架上,冰盖的进退形成形态大小各异的海底冰川地貌,而对海底冰川地貌的解释研究需要高分辨率数字水深模型的支持。采用36个国际公开航次采集到的多波束水深数据以及GEBCO_2014网格水深数据,融合、编绘成50 m网格间距的高分辨率罗斯海数字水深模型。由于采用的多波束水深数据来源于不同调查船只、不同多波束声呐系统及不同航次,这给多波束水深数据的精度评估、融合等带来一定的困难。本文首先采用通用绘图工具(GMT)对多波束中央波束水深数据的交点误差做统计分析,再利用统计分析结果对不同航次水深数据做出精度评估,最后利用"移除-恢复"法对两种来源及精度不同的水深数据做最后的融合。通过以上步骤得到的罗斯海高分辨率数字水深模型与国际南大洋水深地形图(IBCSO)相比,能够更加清晰地凸显海底微地形地貌特征,尤其是冰川进退过程中产生的地貌特征,可满足罗斯海海底冰川地貌的解释工作及综合地质地球物理研究任务。     

长江河口河槽近期沉积特征及影响因子分析

随着流域和河口水利工程建设,长江河槽沉积环境发生了巨大改变,对河势演变和河槽冲淤均产生重要影响。依据长江河口河槽大面积表层沉积物采样和各河槽定点水文观测资料,分析各河槽沉积特征,探讨其影响因子及作用机制。结果表明:河槽沉积物类型以砂质粉砂和粉砂质砂分布最广,粒径分布纵向上呈自西向东减小、横向上自北向南减小趋势,河槽总体主槽粗、边滩细。涨落潮泥沙输运和沉降过程影响河槽纵向沉积分布特征,风浪作用强化了口门段河槽南北沉积环境的差异,北支、北港口门段河槽受到偏北方向风浪作用强烈,沉积物粗化明显。不同泥沙来源是造成河槽整体沉积环境差异的主导因素,南支、南港上段表现为流域来沙的沉积特征,北港、南槽、北槽则表现为流域与海域来沙的混合沉积特征,口外沉积物对口内河槽的影响主要是为口内河槽提供细颗粒物质来源。     

Comparisons between the ichthyofaunas of a temperate lagoonal-like estuary and the embayment into which that estuary discharges

Leschenault Estuary consists of a large lagoonal-like water body, which opens into Koombana Bay through a short and deep entrance channel at its southern end. Since the only major tributary discharges into the estuary opposite the entrance channel, much of the freshwater discharge in the winter passes directly out to sea. Consequently, during the year of the present study, the mean monthly salinities in the main body of the estuary remained above 20 per mil. This presumably accounts for the fact that the ichthyofaunal composition in the shallows of the estuary did not undergo the type of marked changes that are exhibited in other south-western Australian estuaries, in which salinities often fall below 10 per mil in winter. Despite the maintenance of high salinities in Leschenault Estuary and a close proximity to Koombana Bay, the estuary contained a far greater density and markedly different species composition of fish than that found in that marine embayment. This difference reflected, in part, the high abundance in Leschenault Estuary of some species whose entire life cycle is confined to estuaries,e.g. the atherinidsAtherinosoma elongata andLeptatherina wallacei and the gobiesPseudogobius olorum andAfurcagobius suppositus, and the fact that the juveniles of several marine species,e.g. Hyperlophus vittatus, Sillaginodes punctata, Mugil cephalus andGymnapistes marmoratus were also largely or entirely restricted to the estuary. In contrast,Lesueurina platycephala, which was by far the most abundant species in Koombana Bay, was absent in the estuary. Furthermore, the relatively protected region of Koombana Bay contained a greater density and different composition of fish than the more exposed region of this embayment. This reflected the greater use that was made of the protected region as a nursery area by certain marine species,e.g. Aldrichetta forsten andSillago bassensis. Our data, when taken in conjunction with those collected on the fish fauna in other south-western Australian estuaries, demonstrate that, within this geographical region, some fish species are specifically adapted to the estuarine environment, and that certain marine species apparently have a strong preference for using the highly protected and productive waters of this type of environment as a nursery area.     

长江口深水航道30年空间特征变化研究

根据1973-2003年6幅长江口海图资料,建立不同时期长江口深水航道水下数字高程模型, 对航道治理前后30 a的冲淤状况、纵剖面水深变化以及空间模拟等进行研究. 结果表明,30 a来深水航道冲淤交替出现,总变化趋势是冲刷.航道冲淤除与 水动力条件有关外,与治理工程也有密切联系.长江口深水航道治理一期工程结束后,水深明显加深,坡度比变大,主航道呈现平顺的“U”形河道景观.     

长江口冲积岛浅滩演变的可视化分析

为了解剧烈开发背景下长江口浅滩的演变特征,运用GIS技术建立1879年以来长江口地区水下数字高程模型(DEM),再现百余年来长江口长兴岛—横沙岛和九段沙浅滩的演变过程,并计算浅滩的面积、体积、冲淤量和冲淤厚度。结果表明:百余年来长兴岛—横沙岛和九段沙浅滩总体上呈淤涨趋势,并沿东南方向向海推进;长江流域中上游的开发和保护以及河口地区重大工程对浅滩演变的影响越来越大。     

Relationship between diatoms and water quality (TN, TP) in sub-tropical east Australian estuaries

Nutrient over-enrichment of estuarine environments is increasing globally. However, it is difficult to determine the eutrophication trend in estuaries over long periods of time because long-term monitoring records are scarce and do not permit the identification of baseline environmental conditions. In this study, preliminary diatom based transfer functions for the inference of total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) in east-Australian sub-tropical estuaries were developed to address the deficiency in knowledge relating to historical estuary water quality trends. The transfer functions were created from a calibration set consisting of water quality and associated surface sediment diatom assemblage data from fifty-two sub-tropical estuaries in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. Following data screening processes, Canonical Correspondence Analysis confirmed that TP and TN both explained significant, independent variation in the diatom assemblages. Variance partitioning, however, indicated that the TP was confounded with and may receive some strength from TN. WA and WA-PLS 2 component models for TP that included all calibration set sites yielded statistically weak results based on the jack-knifed r ² scores $ \left( {r_{\text{jack}}^{{^{ 2} }} \, = 0.22\;{\text{and}}\;0. 2 2 {\text{ respectively}}} \right) $ . Removal from the calibration set of 12 sites that had all PO₄, NH₄, NO₂, and NO_x concentrations below detection limit resulted in a substantial improvement in WA-PLS 2 component TP model scores $ \left( {r_{\text{jack}}^{{^{ 2} }} \; = \;\,0.69} \right) $ , indicating that this model is statistically robust, and thus suitable for down core nutrient reconstructions. Caution, however, is required when developing diatom based inference models in Australian estuaries as nutrient cycling processes may have the potential to influence diatom based transfer functions. The model reported on here provides a foundation for reconstructing nutrient histories in eastern Australian sub-tropical estuaries in the absence of monitoring data.