Salinity stratification in a river-dominated estuary

Analysis of salinity data from Mobile Bay indicates that stratification-destratification events within this broad, shallow estuary are not uncommon. These events are related to the strength of the winds, through their influence on wave generation and subsequent bottom drag coefficient increases, and to the strength of river discharge. They do not appear to be due to the strength of tidal currents, as has been observed elsewhere. Furthermore, river flow appears to be the dominant control, the winds being important only in the absence of large freshwater discharges. The annual spring freshet can flush most of the salt from the bay. During other times of the year the relative strengths of river discharge and wind stress change the bay from highly stratified to nearly homogeneous and back on a variety of time scales ranging from daily to seasonal.     

Time-dependent seismicity in China

Precise zonation of the territory of China has been performed based on the active known faults, type of faulting and seismicity level. One hundred and forty seven seismogenic regions were defined, forming 10 larger seismic areas, and the seismotectonic characteristics in each one of them were investigated in detail. After checking for data accuracy and completeness of the shallow earthquakes (h≤60 km), the regional time and magnitude predictable model was applied and the model parameters were estimated. Based on the model applicability in the studied area, probabilities for the occurrence of strong (M≥6.0) earthquakes during the next 10 years were calculated for each seismogenic region. Statistical tests have been used proving the superiority of the model in comparison with the time independent one, as well as in comparison with the actual earthquake occurrence.     

Planktonic and whole system metabolism in a nutrient-rich estuary (the Scheldt estuary)

Planktonic gross primary production (GPP), community respiration (CR), and nitrification (NIT) were measured monthly in the Scheldt estuary by the oxygen incubation method in 2003. No significant evolution of planktonic GPP was observed since the 1990s with high rates in the freshwater area (salinity 0; 97±65 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹) decreasing seaward (22–37 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹). A significant decrease of NIT was observed with regard to previous investigations although this process still represents up to 20% of total organic matter production in the inner estuary. Planktonic CR was highest in the inner estuary and seemed to be mainly controlled by external organic matter inputs. Planktonic net community production was negative most of the time in the estuary with values ranging from −300 to 165 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹. Whole estuary net ecosystem production (NEP) was investigated on an annual scale using the results mentioned above and published benthic metabolic rates. A NEP of −39±8 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹ was estimated, which confirms the strong heterotrophic status of this highly nutrified estuary. NEP rates were computed from June to December 2003 to compare with results derived from the Land-Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone budgeting procedure applied to dissolved inorganic phosphorus and carbon (DIP and DIC). DIP budgets failed to provide realistic estimates in the inner estuary where abiotic processes account for more than 50% of the nonconservative DIP flux. DIC budgets predicted a much lower NEP than in situ incubations (−109±31 versus −42±9 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹) although, as each approach is associated with several critical assumptions, the source of this discrepancy remains unclear.     

Time-dependent behaviour of the rock mass

Summary The strength of intact rock and the rock mass is time-dependent. For intact rock experimental verification is available, for the rock mass the scale of time-dependence is a matter of judgement. Rock mass classifications do however emphasize the effect of time on tunnel stability. This paper examines the source of time-dependence in rocks and the rock mass and suggests a technique for estimating the long term strength. The long term strength of the rock mass is controlled by the time-dependent weakening of intact rock. Frictional resistance, a major source of rock mass strength, increases rather than decreases with time. Lifetime estimation for rocks can be accomplished phenomenologically or mechanistically. The first is a statistical process of wide applicability, the second is more restrictive in usage as its applies only to materials that suffer time-dependent strain (creep). Although the mechanistic route is more appealing, it has a major drawback as it concentrates on steady state creep. There is no strong evidence for steady state creep in rocks. The technique for long term prediction is developed through the analysis of the failure rate under constant load. The failure rate for a given load and environment is established from the frequency distribution of time-to-failure data as measured in static fatigue tests. As expected, the failure rate is strongly affected by both the loading and the environmental condition. The influence, however, is systematic and predictable.     

Transformation of phosphorus in the Elbe estuary

The distribution of dissolved and particle-bound phosphorus (P) was investigated in the Elbe estuary during March 1995. The forms of particulate P were studied with a sequential extraction technique. Organic P dominated particle-bound P in the outer reaches of the estuary (52%), decreased to a minimum of 21% in the turbidity zone, and increased to 33% further upstream. Fe-bound P was the second most important P species in the outer reaches (27%) and dominated in the turbidity zone (up to 57%) and upstream of the turbidity zone (up to 48%). The P:Fe ratio increased with decreasing salinity, from 0.11 in the outer reaches to about 0.22 at zero salinity. Dissolved inorganic P release from reverine suspended matter was about two to three times larger than release, from marine suspended matter and was dominated by release of Fe-bound P. Dissolved inorganic P release from marine and from riverine organic matter were of equal importance. Because marine suspended matter dominates in the estuary, this suggests riverine organic matter is remineralized much faster than marine organic matter. This is in line with the refractory nature of marine organic matter (no phytoplankton bloom) and the easily degradable character of the riverine suspended matter (phytoplankton bloom) in the Elbe estuary during March 1995.     

Rapid barium removal in the Delaware estuary

Six profiles of dissolved barium covering the entire salinity range of the Delaware River and Bay estuary from March through September 1996 were collected and analyzed. The profiles are similar to one another in both shape and magnitude except for one attribute. A sudden (≤24 days), nearly complete (>90%) removal of dissolved Ba in midestuary occurs in mid-May followed by an 80% recovery in early June. This removal appears to be temporally and spatially coupled to the end of the spring bloom. Based on such episodic behavior, and on recent work with flocculation of diatom exudates, we conclude that the Ba depletion is caused by barite precipitation in the estuary during the late stages of the bloom. This would imply that lower estuary and inner coastal margin sediments associated with eutrophic estuaries receive a seasonal pulse of barite. The suddenness of this event also implies that sedimentary barite is strongly influenced by high productivity events.Comparison of the riverine Ba concentration with the effective riverine end member after desorptive barium release yields an estimated 30–40 nM Ba available from the suspended sediments as they enter the estuary. This estimate is supported by excess barium in unfiltered samples over filtered samples taken from the river and also by calculations done elsewhere.     

Nutrient limitation in the lower Housatonic River estuary

One of the most serious threats to freshwater and marine ecosystems is high rates of anthropogenic nutrient loading, particularly nitrogen (N) and phophorus (P). One of the major freshwater sources of nutrients to Long Island Sound (LIS) is the Housatonic River (HR). Current management plans that call for reducing N inputs without reducing P inputs may change the N: P ratio in the water column and the pattern of algal nutrient limitation and species composition in the tidal portion of the river. To assess the current pattern of algal nutrient limitation in the HR estuary, nutrient bioassays were conducted in spring, summer, and fall at 5 sites throughout the tidal portion and adjacent LIS. Diatoms were a dominant taxon at all sites throughout the sampling period. Other seasonally important taxa include cyanobacteria, cryptophytes, and euglenoids. Phytoplankton in LIS were always strongly N limited and were co-limited by P in spring. During low flow (summer), phytoplankton in the lower HR estuary were N limited. Phytoplankton in the middle reaches showed no evidence of N or P limitation and were likely limited by other factors. In spring, phytoplankton in the upper HR estuary were P limited. Periods of N or P limitation were better correlated with periods of lower concentrations of nitrate or phosphate than with differences in N: P ratio. These results suggest that decreases in N concentration could increase the prevalence of N limitation throughout the estuary that in turn may reduce phytoplankton biomass and alter species composition of the phytoplankton.     

Longitudinal dispersion processes in the upper tamar estuary

Measurements of velocity, salinity, and suspended solids concentration have been used to investigate the intra-tidal variation of vertical and transverse shear-induced dispersion. For the study research the interaction of the longitudinal density gradient and vertical shear during the early part of the ebb tide accounted for much of the net longitudinal dispersion of solute landward. The same mechanism also is shown to lead to a net particulate transport landward. The landward flux, however, takes place during the flood tide. The field data are also used to elucidate the tidally averaged tidal pumping mechanism.     

Time-dependent behaviour of deep clays

The time-dependent behaviour of deep saturated clays is related both to the effects of hydraulic diffusion and of viscosity. In this paper, we present first, by means of an experimental approach, the main features of the mechanical properties of deep clays. Then, we study the effects of these specific behaviours on the time-dependent behaviour of underground structures. We present theoretical and numerical investigations of the effects of pore pressure diffusion resulting from a tunnel excavation in a poroplastic or poroviscoplastic medium. Finite-element calculations show that the time-dependent convergence of the tunnel wall is non negligible. Then, we focus on the behaviour of a cylindrical thermal source buried in a deep clay.

Coupling effects between thermal, hydraulic and mechanical behaviours are very important in soft and low permeable deep clays (saturated compressible clays with high porosity). We show in particular that the displacements and the stresses are very sensitive to the constitutive model. Irreversible behaviour may be traduced by appearance of residual stresses within the rockmass.     

Distribution and abundance of ichthyoplankton in the Manicouagan River estuary,a tributary of the lower St. Lawrence estuary

The species composition and relative abundance of ichthyoplankton were investigated during summer 1986 at four stations along the salinity gradient in the Manicouagan River estuary, a tributary of the lower St. Lawrence estuary. Physical characteristics of water masses indicated the presence of a strong saline front (>10‰ per km) delineating the freshwater and marine section of the Manicouagan estuary. The estuary supports a depauperate ichthyoplankton community, including four species of pelagic fish eggs and eight species of fish larvae. Species richness increased with salinity. The ichthyoplankton fauna can be divided into two distinct groups: freshwater and marine. These two groups result initially from spawning preferences exhibited by the different species abundance of freshwater larvae was maximal at the head of the estuary and marine larvae were most abundant at the most saline station. The length frequency distribution suggests that marine larvae are not effectively retained within the estuary. The Manicouagan estuary cannot be considered as a major spawning site nor an important nursery zone for any fish found in this area.     

Nutrient cycling in the sub-tropical Brunswick estuary,Australia

A combination of mixing plots, one-dimensional salt balance modelling, nutrient loading budgets, and benthic flux measurements were used to assess nutrient cycling pathways in the enriched sub-tropical Brunswick estuary during different freshwater flows. A simple model accounting for freshwater residence times and nutrient availability was found to be a good predictor of phytoplankton biomass along the estuary, and suggested that biomass accumulation may become nutrient-limited during low flows and that recycling within the water column is important during blooms. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) cycling budgets were constructed for the estuary during different freshwater flows accounting for all major inputs (catchment, sewage, and urban) to the estuary. Internal cycling due to phytoplankton uptake (based on measured biomass) and sediment-water fluxes (based on measured rates in each estuarine reach) was considered. Four different nutrient cycling states were identified during the study. In high flow, freshwater residence times are less than 1 d, internal cycling processes are bypassed and virtually all dissolved, and most particulate, nutrients are delivered to the continental shelf. During the growth phase of a phytoplankton bloom enhanced recycling occurs as residence times increase sufficiently to allow biomass accumulation. Remineralization of phytoplankton detritus during this phase can supply up to 50% of phytoplankton DIN demands. In post-bloom conditions, DIN uptake by phytoplankton decreases in the autumn wet season when biomass doubling times begin to exceed residence times. OM supply to the sediments diminishes and the benthos becomes nutrient-limited, resulting in DIN uptake by the sediments. As flows decrease further in the dry season, there is tight recycling and phytoplankton blooms, and uptake by the sediments can account for the entire DIN loading to the estuary resulting in complete removal of DIN from the water column. The ocean is a potentially important source of DIN to the estuary at this time. The results of the DIN cycling budgets compared favorably with mixing plots of DIN at each time. The results suggest that a combination of different approaches may be useful in developing a more comprehensive understanding of nutrient cycling behavior and the effects of nutrient enrichment in estuaries.     

Hydrogen isotopes in dinosterol from the Chesapeake Bay estuary

The hydrogen isotope ratio of the dinoflagellate sterol dinosterol (4α,23,24-trimethyl-5α-cholest-22E-en-3β-ol) was measured in suspended particles and surface sediments from the Chesapeake Bay estuary in order to evaluate the influence of salinity on hydrogen isotope fractionation. D/H fractionation was found to decrease by 0.99 ± 0.23‰ per unit increase in salinity over the salinity range 10-29 PSU, a similar decrease to that observed in a variety of lipids from hypersaline ponds on Christmas Island (Kiribati). We hypothesize that the hydrogen isotopic response to salinity may result from diminished exchange of water between algal cells and their environment, lower growth rates and/or increased production of osmolytes at high salinities. Regardless of the mechanism, the consistent sign and magnitude of dinosterol δD response to changing salinity should permit qualitative to semi-quantitative reconstructions of past salinities from sedimentary dinosterol δD values.     

Sediment transport and trapping in the Hudson River estuary

The Hudson River estuary has a pronounced turbidity maximum zone, in which rapid, short-term deposition of sediment occurs during and following the spring freshet. Water-column measurements of currents and suspended sediment were performed during the spring of 1999 to determine the rate and mechanisms of sediment transport and trapping in the estuary. The net convergence of sediment in the lower estuary was approximately 300,000 tons, consistent with an estimate based on sediment cores. The major input of sediment from the watershed occurred during the spring freshet, as expected. Unexpected, however, was that an even larger quantity of sediment was transported landward into the estuary during the 3-mo observation period. The landward movement was largely accomplished by tidal pumping (i.e., the correlation between concentration and velocity at tidal frequencies) during spring tides, when the concentrations were 5 to 10 times higher than during neap tides. The landward flux is not consistent with the long-term sediment budget, which requires a seaward flux at the mouth to account for the excess input from the watershed relative to net accumulation. The anomalous, landward transport in 1999 occurred in part because the freshet was relatively weak, and the freshet occurred during neapetides when sediment resuspension was minimal. An extreme freshet occurred during 1998, which may have provided a repository of sediment just seaward of the mouth that re-entered the estuary in 1999. The amplitude of the spring freshet and its timing with respect to the spring-neap cycle cause large interannual variations in estuarine sediment flux. These variations can result in the remobilization of previously deposited sediment, the mass of which may exceed the annual inputs from the watershed.     

Simulating the lateral transport of ichthyoplankton in the Potomac estuary

Previous simulations of potential ichthyoplankton entrainment by power generating stations on the Potomac estuary have not included the influence of lateral transport in distributing eggs and larvae over the nursery area. Therefore, two-dimensional, vertically-averaged hydrodynamic and kinematic models of passive organism transport were developed to represent advective and dispersive processes near the proposed Douglas Point Nuclear Generating Station. Although the more refined model did not substantially alter the estimate of ichthyoplankton entrainment, it did reveal that lateral inhomogeneities in hydrodynamics could engender severalfold differences in entrainment probabilities on opposite sides of the estuary. Models of higher resolution and greater biological detail did not project greater total entrainment by the Douglas Point plant, because the volume of nontidal flow past the site was large in comparison to the proposed rate of cooling water withdrawal.     

Phosphorus distribution in sediments of the Delaware River estuary

In order to determine the primary factors related to the accumulation of phosphorus in estuarine sediments, a study of phosphorus fractions in sediments of the Delaware River Estuary was undertaken. A correlation matrix between the phosphorus fractions, determined by serial extraction, and 14 sediment variables was computed. Total phosphorus and total inorganic phosphorus in the sediment-phosphorus reservoir decreases with increasing salinity. This variation is correlated with decreasing iron oxyhydroxide content in the sediment. Neither clay content nor calcium carbonate content appear to be significantly correlated with variation in total inorganic phosphorus content in the fine-grained sediments of this estuary. Although calcium phosphate is concluded to be a major constituent of the sediment-phosphorus reservoir, there was no evidence found that it is authigenic in this environment.