Environmentally associated spatial changes of a macrozoobenthic community in the Saemangeum tidal flat,Korea

Estuarine tidal flats are both ecologically and economically important, hence developing methods to reliably measure ecosystem health is essential. Because benthic fauna play a central role in the food web of tidal flats, in this study we set out to quantitatively describe the intertidal zonation of macro-invertebrates and their associations with specific environmental parameters along three transects in the Saemangeum tidal flat, Korea. The abundance and biomass of intertidal fauna with respect to five environmental parameters (i.e., shore level, mud content, coarse sand content, water content, and organic content) were measured, to identify environmental factors that influence macrofaunal distribution in intertidal soft bottom habitats. A total of 75 species were identified, with dominant species showing distinct zones of distribution along all transects. The number of species recorded in each transect was found to be dependent on sediment characteristics and salinity. Cluster analysis classified the entire study area into three faunal assemblages (i.e., location groups), which were delineated by characteristic species, including (A) ‘Periserrula–Macrophthalmus’, (B) ‘Umbonium–Meretrix’, and (C) ‘Prionospio–Potamocorbula’. Four environmental variables (i.e., shore level, water content, mud content, and organic content) appeared to determine factors that distinguished the three faunal assemblages, based on the discriminant analysis. The faunal assemblage types of the sampled locations were accurately predicted from environmental variables in two discriminant functions, with a prediction accuracy of 98%. It should be noted that the zonation of benthos in the lower section (C) of Sandong had been affected by the construction of a nearby dike, while this parameter had remained essentially unchanged at the other two location groups (A–B). Overall, the zonation of benthos from the Saemangeum tidal flat was explained adequately by the measured environmental variables, implying that faunal assemblages are closely associated with certain combinations of abiotic factors. The identification of such reliable associations may facilitate the development of statistical models to predict faunal distributions based on environmental variables at both local and regional scales. The entire study area was embanked in 2006 (one year after this study), and an integrated plan was set into force to develop claimed land into industrial, residential and agricultural districts, which also included a partial restoration program of the tidal flats located near to the study area.     

苏北潮滩不同生态带沉积物分布特征

利用2004年1月3日在江苏盐城珍禽国家级自然保护区核心区新洋港采集到的表层和柱状沉积物样品,采用矩值法对该潮滩沉积物粒度和粒度参数进行了分析和计算,并对潮滩沉积物的水平和垂向分布特征以及不同植被对沉积物分布的影响进行了研究,结果表明:(1)自海向陆,光滩、互花米草滩、互花米草盐蒿混合滩、盐蒿滩和芦苇地5个亚带中,光滩沉积物的粒径明显较其它4个亚带处的粒径大,在接近互花米草滩时沉积物的粒径迅速变小,而互花米草滩等其它4个亚带处的沉积物粒径则变化不大。较低部位光滩沉积物的频率分布曲线呈不明显双峰分布,而较高部位的光滩及其它生态带内的沉积物频率分布曲线均为单峰,显示出物源较为单一的特点。(2)沉积物自海向陆粒度特征的变化规律反映了潮滩水动力条件对沉积物分布的影响,尤其是反映了盐沼植物在潮滩的发育过程中所起的重要作用。(3)周期性变化的潮动力作用、潮流不对称作用、植被以及潮滩不同部位淤积演化差异的影响造成了潮滩不同部位沉积物敏感组分粒度垂向变化的差异。     

The sediment-water interface increment due to the complex burrows of macrofauna in a tidal flat

The architecture of macrofaunal burrows and the total area of the sediment-water interface created by biogenic structure were investigated in the Donggeomdo tidal flat on the west coast of Korea. Resin casting methods were applied to recover burrows of four dominant species, Macrophthalmus japonicus, Cleistostoma dilatatum, Perinereis aibuhitensis, and Periserrula leucophryna, and whole burrows within the casting area at three sites in different tidal levels.P. leucophryna excavated the largest burrow in terms of a surface area among them. In the case of whole burrow casting, the space occupied by the biogenic structure was extended into deeper and expanded more greatly at the higher tidal level. In the uppermost flat, the burrow wall surface area within sediment was more extensive than the sediment surface area. Increased oxygen supply through the extended interface could enhance the degradation rates of organic carbon and also change the pathways of degradation. Quantifying the relationship between the extended interface and mineralization rate and pathway requires more extensive study.     

江苏大丰中潮滩大小潮周期沉积特征研究

于2007年7月28日至8月14日期间对江苏大丰海岸中潮滩进行了连续半个月的大小潮周期沉积的现场观测与采样,对采集的沉积物样品在室内进行了粒度、沉积通量和质量磁化率等的测试,结果表明:研究区中潮滩沉积物颗粒的粗细、沉积通量等与潮汐的周期变化关系不明显,而与波浪之间有着较为密切的关系;从中潮滩的上部到中部,再到下部,沉积物颗粒由细变粗,沉积通量由低变高,质量磁化率由小变大。此外,研究区的中潮滩沉积物质量磁化率与粒径组分中的细砂和极细砂关系密切。本项研究结果为微观尺度上潮滩沉积差异的分析以及潮汐韵律层作为高分辨率测年工具的适用性评价提供了参考。     

河口潮滩地貌和沉积物对人类工程的响应特征

河口潮滩受径潮流的共同作用,在自然环境与人类活动的影响下处于不断的动态调整中,其中大型人类工程往往对其短期地貌变化和沉积物特征产生巨大影响。2013年底至2014年5月,长江口崇明东滩北部开展大规模互花米草治理工程,本文基于地面三维激光扫描技术、植被点云数据滤除算法、沉积物取样以及室内粒度分析等手段,对比了工程前后潮滩地貌与沉积物特征。研究发现:（1）完工后研究区域靠海及南侧区域出现明显冲刷,北侧虽出现淤积,但整个区域平均冲刷幅度仍达4 cm;（2）工程前研究区域沉积物平均中值粒径为29 μm,工程完工后沉积物平均中值粒径则增大到38 μm;（3）工程完工后沉积物靠海及南侧区域明显粗化,北侧沉积物则变细。结果表明,围垦工程会造成邻近潮滩大幅冲刷以及表层沉积物粗化,但潮滩不同区域地貌和沉积物特征对工程的响应仍存在空间差异性。研究揭示尽管河口潮滩长期演变过程受流域来沙条件影响,但围垦工程等局部影响因素会短期内显著改变潮滩动力地貌过程。     

Modeling interrelationships between morphological evolution and grain-size trends in back-barrier tidal basins of the East Frisian Wadden Sea

In terms of grain size, surficial sediment distribution patterns in back-barrier tidal basins (e.g., the East Frisian Wadden Sea, Germany) often show a landward fining trend from the sea boundary to the mainland shore. In addition to the cross-shore patterns, there are lateral grain-size trends toward the watersheds of the basins and toward the watersheds of tidal flats bordered by tidal channels on either side. In the present study, interrelationships between morphological evolution and grain-size trends in the back-barrier tidal basins of the East Frisian Wadden Sea were simulated for a period of 60 years by a process-based forward modeling approach using the Delft3D system. The model outputs show that grain size displays a shoreward fining trend within the basin area, which is consistent with in situ observations; such a trend can be interpreted by the shoreward decrease in the cross-shore maximum velocity. Moreover, the model predicts lateral grain-size trends similar to those observed in the tidal basins: coarser sediment remains in the inlets and channels, while finer sediment settles at the tidal watersheds and on the tidal flats between channels. The spatial patterns of tidal flat sediment grain size within the tidal basins are thus related to the distance from the sea boundary and from the tidal channels. The modeling exercise also indicates that the development of the grain-size pattern observed in the East Frisian Wadden Sea is accomplished within a few decades, and that the time periods required to reach equilibrium are much shorter for grain size than for bed elevation. Evidently, spatial grain-size information can be used to assess sediment transport and morphological adaptation processes as, for example, attempted in sediment trend analysis procedures.     

Influence of water-level elevation and tidal range on the sedimentation in a German tidal flat area

The nearshore region of the German Bight is characterised by a large tidal flat area of 7500km², which is a wedge of alluvial material lying in front of the coast. The elevation of a flat depends on the long-term water-level and currents. As a result of the rising water-level, the flats are migrating over an inclined Pleistocene basement. This migration depends on the balance of sedimentation versus erosion which is a function of water depth. Regular measurements of the water-level have been made since the middle of the 19th century. From the observations of the MHW it is estimated that the water-level has risen to approximately 30cm in the past hundred years. Recent investigations show that the change of the half-tide water-level is less than that of MHW. The increasing tidal range also changes the sedimentation processes over the tidal flats. The quantitative influence of the altered tidal range on the sedimentation and the morphology of the Wadden Sea is as important as that of the influence of mean water-level elevation. Changes in the elevation of the coastal plain caused by tectonic forces or subsidence cannot be determined. Extensive investigations were conducted to determine quantitatively the sedimentation processes which have taken place since 1936. The sediment budget of the Flackstrom basin (low macrotidal coast) is presented. With respect to the MHW datum plane, sedimentation of 20 × 10⁶m³ has taken place in this area. This is equivalent to a mean silting-up of 30cm over the past 46 years, an average 0.7cm/year. The sedimentation process is dependent upon the mean elevation of the flat. Most of the sedimentation has taken place above the half-tide water-level. Therefore, the flanks of the flats have risen more than the tops and the sand-ridges, which certainly reflects the very small long-term water-level elevation change of only 3cm which occurred during the period investigated (1936 to 1982). Recent investigations of the present state show a relationship between the tidal range and the height of the main sedimentation-zone. Comparisons of the Flackstrom (tidal range approximately 3.40m) and parts of the Dutch Wadden Sea (tidal range approximately 1.80m) indicate that the main sedimentation-zone moves down-shore from half-tide water-level to mean-low-water with the decrease of the tidal range, due to differences in the general course of the hypsometric curves over the tidal flat areas.     

Geochemical processes in muddy and sandy tidal flat sediments

Different approaches, such as element analyses of the bulk sediment and of the fine sediment fraction (<63 μm), sequential extraction techniques, correlation coefficient, and enrichment factor calculations, clearly demonstrate the differences in geochemical behavior of a muddy and a sandy sediment on the same tidal flat in the Scheldt estuary (Belgium). The geochemical processes in combination with the relatively large transport mobility of dissolved compounds due to the tidal action in the sediment, created compound specific vertical distribution profiles.     

江苏海岸带盐沼潮滩在小尺度下的沉积变化过程

在小尺度范围内,潮滩沉积的研究一般都是基于几个站位或断面进行短时日的调查和监测来获取数据,或多或少地存在数据的连续性不足等问题。基于此,本文在潮滩地貌典型的江苏平原海岸选取了约160 000 m²的盐沼潮滩作为研究对象,在多年的野外连续观测下,分析了人类围垦活动对盐沼潮滩沉积过程及变化的影响。结果表明：人类围垦活动（如堤坝建设等）对潮滩沉积和盐沼植被覆盖的变化有重要影响。围垦堤坝修建之前,研究区向陆一侧为盐沼植物（现为养殖池）,向海一侧为光滩,岸线形态比较平直。在2006年围垦堤坝修建后,研究区变为“凹岸”型的人工岸线,沉积环境变得更有利于泥沙的淤积。根据2007-2012年对滩面高程的野外观测,在风暴潮的影响下,潮滩最大淤积率高达23 cm/a。盐沼植被在泥沙快速淤积的基础上不断发育生长,盐沼植物覆盖面积不断扩张。同时外部的沙嘴也在不断增长,潮汐风浪侵蚀携带沙嘴外部泥沙进入盐沼滩地,盐沼植物在泥沙的覆盖下,出现萎缩退化,覆盖面积减少,但是对潮滩上的泥沙而言还是不断堆积增厚。柱状样岩芯的粒度垂向剖面特征也记录了盐沼潮滩沉积环境的变化。小尺度下盐沼潮滩沉积表现出的阶段性变化规律,揭示出合理的围垦活动有利于堤坝前的潮滩淤积和盐沼植被的扩张。     

Impact of the cord-grass Spartina alterniflora on sedimentary and morphological evolution of tidal salt marshes on the Jiangsu coast, China

1Introduction Asanimportantcomponentofthecoastalsys tem,tidalflatsareformedbytidalactionunderthe conditionofabundantfine grainedsedimentsupply;theybecomeafocusofthestudyonland oceaninter actioninthecoastalzonebecausetheseareasare subjectedtointensehumanac…     

崇明东北潮滩泥沙输运过程的研究

潮滩泥沙的输运过程是河口近岸泥沙输运的重要组成部分,也是诊断潮滩侵蚀-淤积的重要动力指标,特别是在地貌演变过程显著的区域更具指示意义.本研究选择长江口崇明岛东北部潮滩,在2018年3月30日-4月10日进行三脚架多参数观测,获取了高分辨率的流速、含沙量等剖面数据,运用机制分解法分析了连续21个潮周期的泥沙输运过程.结果...     

黄河口潮滩泥沙絮凝研究

本文基于现场观测的絮团粒径、悬沙浓度及水动力数据,研究了黄河口南部潮滩泥沙絮凝特征。研究发现,黄河口潮滩絮团粒径在25.42～264.44μm之间,平均为95.20μm。水体紊动对黄河口潮滩絮凝的影响存在差异,紊动对絮凝促进作用的上限约为G_l=3.76 s^-1。紊动强度低于G_l时,紊动促进泥沙絮凝,絮团粒径随紊动加强而增大;反之水体紊动对絮凝主要起抑制作用,絮团粒径随紊动强度增大而减小。悬沙浓度对黄河口潮滩泥沙絮凝起抑制作用,同等紊动条件下高悬沙浓度对应的絮团粒径更小。黄河口潮滩絮团有效密度与粒径呈现负相关关系,沉速主要受粒径影响。本研究补充了对弱潮河口潮滩泥沙絮凝特性的认识。     

互花米草对江苏潮滩沉积和地貌演化的影响

江苏潮滩面积大,岸滩冲淤动态变化复杂.人工引种互花米草对江苏海岸潮滩沉积地貌演化有较大影响,主要体现在影响潮滩沉积速率、物质分布及潮水沟地貌系统的发育等方面.根据定点站位不同年代的高程数据,分析Pethick-Allen模型在江苏潮滩盐沼的适用性;在现场采集柱状样并在室内进行137Cs分析,根据分析结果及前人研究结果,利用P-A模型分析计算江苏潮滩不同时期的沉积速率,结果表明互花米草的引种加快了潮滩沉积速率,它使潮滩沉积地貌演化脱离了原来的渐进函数关系.在选择的典型断面上采集表层底质样,在激光粒度仪上进行粒度分析,结果表明,互花米草易使细颗粒沉积物沉积,大米草滩和盐蒿滩表层沉积物主要来自潮水沟输送.根据野外调查并结合遥感分析,互花米草滩内潮水沟宽深比小,密度大,水道稳定,有别于光滩或大米草滩的潮水沟形态.     

Species richness and distribution of benthic tidal flat fauna of the Banc d'Arguin,Mauritania

The Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania, West Africa, is an area of tidal flats and shallow inshore waters bordering the sandy desert of the Sahara. The project Banc d'Arguin 1985–1986 investigated predominantly benthic biomass and production, the same data allow investigation of the species diversity and the distribution of the tidal flat fauna of the Banc d'Arguin. We sieved and analysed 410 core samples (diameter 10 cm) from 82 locations with 0.6 mm mesh size. A total of 111 taxa were identified. Polychaeta were most diverse with 42 species belonging to 20 families. Other large species groups were Gastropoda (20 species, 14 families), Amphipoda (14 taxa, 8 families) and Bivalvia (15 species, 10 families). Densities ranged from 152 to 5635 ind. m⁻², with an average of 1404 ind. m⁻². Six taxa accounted for more than half of the total density. H' values were generally low with values ranging from 0 to 2.78 nats. Low evenness values indicated a high degree of dominance.The total density was independent of any sediment characteristic, probably because of the large range of species. Densities of dominant species did show a correlation with sediment size. A fraction of the individuals could have been lost with our use of a 0.6 mm sieve. Many species occurred only at a few stations. An explanation for this could be that stations are dominated by different species, while the diversity within a station is relatively low. The occurrence of opportunistic species supports this explanation. The Banc d'Arguin is a reversed estuary, and the stress caused by high temperatures and salinity could result in opportunistic assemblages. The (theoretical) high turnover rate of these opportunistic assemblages could be the key to the importance of the Banc d'Arguin for wintering shorebirds.     

Cyclical variability of suspended sediment concentration over a low-energy tidal flat in Jiaozhou Bay,China: effect of shoaling on wave impact

During the spring-neap period of 17–24 August 2004, turbidity, horizontal and vertical current velocities and echo intensity were measured using OBS-3A and ADP-XR instruments over an intertidal flat within the semi-enclosed Jiaozhou Bay, China, to examine patterns in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and possible control factors. SSC was found to be lower than 30 mg l⁻¹ in most of the water column and for most of the tidal cycle. This is attributed mainly to the low hydrodynamic energy, in particular weak currents (near-bottom maximum 1- and 8-min-interval velocities were only 26.1 and 14.2 cm s⁻¹, respectively), and limited fine-grained sediment supply by rivers. However, high SSC values ranging from 100 to >1,000 mg l⁻¹ occurred over short periods at the beginning and the end of inundation. This phenomenon is attributed to the shoaling effect of frequent wind-generated waves, as a result of which near-bottom SSC fluctuations display a U-shaped trend during each tidal cycle.     

Effective prediction of biodiversity in tidal flat habitats using an artificial neural network

Accurate predictions of benthic macrofaunal biodiversity greatly benefit the efficient planning and management of habitat restoration efforts in tidal flat habitats. Artificial neural network (ANN) prediction models for such biodiversity were developed and tested based on 13 biophysical variables, collected from 50 sites of tidal flats along the coast of Korea during 1991–2006. The developed model showed high predictions during training, cross-validation and testing. Besides the training and testing procedures, an independent dataset from a different time period (2007–2010) was used to test the robustness and practical usage of the model. High prediction on the independent dataset (r = 0.84) validated the networks proper learning of predictive relationship and its generality. Key influential variables identified by follow-up sensitivity analyses were related with topographic dimension, environmental heterogeneity, and water column properties. Study demonstrates the successful application of ANN for the accurate prediction of benthic macrofaunal biodiversity and understanding of dynamics of candidate variables.     

鸭绿江河口西岸潮滩沉积物有机质对流域变化的响应

河流颗粒有机质提供了陆地碳循环的重要信息以及人类活动的记录,通过河口地区沉积物有机质组成,可反映流域变化及海陆间相互作用。2010-2011年分两次于鸭绿江河口西岸潮滩采集柱样4根及表层样23个。对样品进行有机质碳氮总量(TOC、TN)、碳氮同位素(δ13C、δ15 N)及沉积物粒度测试。分析结果表明,由河口向西,有机质受改造程度加深且来源逐渐复杂化,致TOC/TN与δ13C的相关性逐渐降低,δ15 N与沉积物粒度的相关性也随之降低。文中以δ13C为主线探讨沉积物有机质的来源及运移,TOC/TN作为辅助,δ15 N则用于指示生化条件的改变。柱样的δ13 C分布与河流入海输沙密切相关,水库对入海泥沙的拦截,致河口潮滩沉积速率减缓,从而增加了沉积物中海源有机质的含量,δ13C随之增加。潮滩西侧柱样的δ15 N增加指示了生活工业污水的大量排放。此外,表层样δ13C分布的方向性,指示了西水道门口处的快速堆积及潮下带物质的向岸运移,并在西岸潮滩向岸一侧富集。     

杭州湾庵东浅滩地貌演变规律

杭州湾南岸庵东浅潍的地貌演变具有长周期、多年周期和年周期变化。浅滩舌部的进退、摆动,以及滩面高程和潮沟系统的变动,是周期性演变的主要表现。地貌过程各控制因素通过杭州湾湾口和湾顶两个高混浊带提供的输沙通道,以及浅滩输沙结构的调整,间接或直接影响浅滩的演变,出现各个层次的动力-地貌响应关系。其中长周期和多年周期响应与长江及钱塘江两河口系统的调整有关,枯水条件下河口系统上移,庵东浅滩供沙不足;丰水条件下,两输沙通道会于庵东浅滩,促进了浅滩的淤涨。在年周期的小尺度演变中,波浪条件具有重要的影响。     

Spatial and temporal variation of diverse inter‐tidal algal assemblages in Southwest O‘ahu

Spatial and temporal variation in tropical inter‐tidal communities is poorly known, making predictions about the effects of climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances difficult. Along Southwest O‘ahu, Hawai'i, local residents are concerned about the environmental effects of coastal development and the perceived loss of targeted algal species, which are collected for human consumption. To describe the coastal benthic community and better understand the processes that form and maintain it, the abundance and composition of macroalgae were sampled in the region's inter‐tidal zone from 2006 to 2015. Sixty‐six macroalgal species and two broad algal assemblages were identified that corresponded to substrate topography and sand influence at a similar tidal elevation. Along flat carbonate benches with a sand beach, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophytes occurred in almost equal proportions, while shores with slightly more topographic relief and angular substrate were dominated by Rhodophytes. Foliose or turf algal forms were most common. Surveys captured the local invasion of an alga, Avrainvillea sp. and significant declines in abundant macroalgae in 2015 after a period of unseasonably warm, calm water. Temporal changes in algal assemblages were related to maximum water temperature and wave height but not precipitation. Thus, algal assemblages appear to be structured by local beach morphology as they interact with sand and wave activity and episodically by unusual weather events. However, manipulation and continuous monitoring of the algal assemblages coupled to sensing of the localized environment is necessary to confirm factors related to assembly maintenance and recent species shifts.     

九龙江口潮滩表层沉积物有机质的分布、来源及沉积环境指示意义

本研究旨在揭示九龙江口潮滩有机质含量及其来源的时空分异规律,寻找有效识别潮滩沉积环境的有机碳指标,以便更好地将有机碳应用于河口沉积微相识别和古环境研究。在九龙江口潮滩不同地貌单元,于夏季和冬季采集41个表层沉积物,进行粒度、总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)和稳定碳同位素(δ¹³C)测试。结果显示：从高潮滩至低潮滩,沉积物粒度逐渐变粗,TOC、TN和C/N变小,δ¹³C值偏正。高潮滩有机质来源以陆源和红树林贡献为主,中潮滩以海源和互花米草贡献为主,低潮滩以海源贡献为主。九龙江口潮滩有机质的分布和来源受控于河口陆海相互作用的季节变化、潮滩沉积动力分异和潮滩植被分布。高潮滩与中–低潮滩之间,TOC存在显著性差异,TN、δ¹³C存在极显著性差异,因此参数组合TOC、TN和δ¹³C可作为高潮滩与中–低潮滩的有效判别指标。