Evidence for an enriched hyperbenthic fauna in the Frisian front (North Sea)

The hyperbenthos of the Frisian front, an enriched benthic area of the southern North Sea, and surrounding waters was investigated along two cross-frontal transects in August 1994 and April 1996. A total of 111 species was recorded, mainly peracarid crustaceans and decapods. On average, Calanus spp. (Copepoda), Schistomysis ornata (Mysidacea) and Scopelocheirus hopei (Amphipoda) represented more than 40% of the total density, while S. ornata constituted 30% of the biomass. Community structure differed strongly between the two months, as shown by the species composition and the much lower densities and biomasses in April.In August, the density of the holohyperbenthic fraction reached pronounced peaks in the Frisian front area: densities for chaetognaths, copepods, amphipods and mysids were one order of magnitude higher than in the surrounding waters. Diversity was also highest at the Frisian front. The high abundances may be explained by active migration and/or by passive transport to the food-enriched area. Merohyperbenthic species showed a less distinct increase in density in the front zone, but a clear south-to-north change in community structure was observed. These species are more heavily subjected to the prevailing tidal flow. The Frisian front fauna seems to be transitional between two merohyperbenthic communities established in late summer, one belonging to the environmentally different sandy Southern Bight to the south, the other to the silty Oyster Ground to the north.In spring, no such hyperbenthic enrichment over the Frisian front was observed. This is most probably due to the strong seasonality of the hyperbenthic fauna and the low water temperature, suggesting that production and subsequent recruitment had not started yet. Alternatively, winter storms could have resuspended particulate organic matter, followed by a rapid migration of the motile hyperbenthos to more northern depositional areas and thus leading to a temporal density decline. We conclude that the Frisian front is an enriched area for the hyperbenthos at the end of summer, as has already been reported for the benthic system.     

The ecology of benthic foraminifera across the Frisian Front, southern North Sea

Benthic foraminifera were collected across the Frisian Front, a biologically enriched transition-zone with high organic matter content below a tidal-mixing front in the southern North Sea. On four occasions between 2002 and 2005, box-cores from different hydrographic regimes (i.e. tidally mixed, frontal and stratified) at depths between 30- and 45-m deep were sampled. The results indicate that standing stocks and foraminiferal diversity are higher in the central zone of the Frisian Front than further away from the frontal zone. Most of the abundant species occupy a specific zone relative to the front's central position. Elphidium excavatum is abundant at the southern edge of the Frisian Front, where input of labile organic matter is high and physical disturbance (i.e. resuspension of fine-grained material) is relatively frequent. Ammonia tepida and Quinqueloculina spp. dominate at the front's center where organic carbon input is relatively high. Hopkinsina pacifica has its highest abundances at the deepest, northerly boundary of the front, and Eggerella scabra dominates the deeper, seasonally stratified Oyster Grounds north of the front. Differences in seasonal distribution patterns were minor compared to spatial patterns. Depth distributions varied between summer (more ‘epifaunal’ distribution) and winter (vertically more evenly distributed). The latter suggests that the vertical distribution of foraminifera is governed by the arrival of fresh organic matter at the seafloor in spring and summer. A comparison with foraminiferal abundances across the Frisian Front in 1988/1989 reveals that total abundances and distribution of the most abundant species were similar in both data sets, despite a macrobenthic regime shift at the Frisian Front in the early 1990s. The decoupled dynamics of foraminifera and macrofauna suggests that foraminifera reflect reliably the hydrodynamic environment (stratified, frontal, mixed), despite the changed macrofaunal community and its physical and geochemical consequences.     

The ebb-tidal delta model of shoreface ridge origin and evolution: Appraisal and applicability along the southern North Sea barrier island coast—a discussion

The ebb-tidal delta model of McBride and Moslow is the most comprehensive on the morphogenesis and distribution of shoreface ridges along the US Atlantic seaboard to date. This discussion evaluates the applicability of the above model to the southern North Sea barrier island coast. Results indicate that the characteristics of the North Sea shoreface-connected ridge sediments display a genetic relationship with those of the inlet ebb delta as implied by the ebb-tidal model. By contrast, ridge orientation is not well accounted for by lateral inlet migration and shoreline recession as suggested by the model. A possible reason for the aforementioned discrepancy is discussed.     

The effect of bedforms (crest and trough systems) on sediment erodibility on a back-barrier tidal flat of the East Frisian Wadden Sea, Germany

The erosion potential over bedforms in a tidal flat of the East Frisian Wadden Sea was studied by conducting erosion and physical and biological sediment property measurements on the crests and troughs of bedforms. Five stations along a cross-shore transect of 1.5 km length from immediately below the salt marsh to the mid tide-level of the tidal flat were visited during two field campaigns in June and September 2002. Measurements of sediment erodibility were made on both crests and troughs using an EROMES erosion device and quantified in terms of critical erosion shear stress and erosion rate. Surface sediment scrape samples (upper 1 mm layer) were taken from crests and troughs to determine various physical and biological properties of the sediment. The results show that crests are generally more stable (i.e. higher critical erosion shear stresses and lower erosion rates) than troughs. In general, crests contained more chlorophyll a, colloidal carbohydrate, and EPS (extracellular polymeric substance) than troughs. Median grain-size, water content and wet bulk density of the crests showed no statistically significant difference from those of the troughs with the exception at the most landward station immediately below the salt marsh margin, where crests had significantly lower water content and higher wet bulk density than troughs.Two different processes were identified for the difference in erodibility between crests and troughs: (1) At stations with emersion times less than 6 h, the higher benthic diatom biomass (measured as chlorophyll a concentration) on the crests increases the amount of EPS, which is likely to stabilize the sediment surface of these features; (2) in a saltmarsh transition area (most landward station), physical processes such as surface drying and compaction seem to enhance in a synergistic way the sediment stability on the crests.     

Eocene succession on the East Shetland Platform, North Sea

A sand-prone Middle Eocene sequence is recognized in three cored boreholes on the East Shetland Platform. Three lithostratigraphic divisions are recognized: Lower Sand Unit, Main Sand Unit and Upper Claystone Unit. The Lower Sand Unit is of fluvio-deltaic origin, occurring on the southern part of the East Shetland Platform. The Main Sand Unit represents the subsequent transgression of the delta. The unit comprises a set of highstand shelf systems tracts separated by glauconitic bands and reflected by palynological assemblage breaks. The presence of reworked palynofloras in sediments of late Middle Eocene age implies derivation of sediment from the north-west part of the East Shetland Platform. Although it is tempting to ascribe sea level changes to the sediment pattern, a tentative correlation with the Hampshire Basin only highlights the difficulties involved.     

Control of barrier island shape by inlet sediment bypassing: East Frisian Islands, West Germany

A study of the East Frisian Islands has shown that the plan form of these islands can be explained by processes of inlet sediment bypassing. This island chain is located on a high wave energy, high tide range shoreline where the average deep-water significant wave height exceeds 1.0 m and the spring tidal range varies from 2.7 m at Juist to 2.9 m at Wangerooge. An abundant sediment supply and a strong eastward component of wave power (4.4 × 10³ W m⁻¹) have caused a persistent eastward growth of the barrier islands. The eastward extension of the barriers has been accommodated more by inlet narrowing, than by inlet migration.

It is estimated from morphological evidence that a minimum of 2.7 × 10⁵ m³ of sand is delivered to the inlets each year via the easterly longshore transport system. Much of this sand ultimately bypasses the inlets in the form of large, migrating swash bars. The location where the swash bars attach to the beach is controlled by the amount of overlap of the ebb-tidal delta along the downdrift inlet shoreline. The configuration of the ebbtidal delta, in turn, is a function of inlet size and position of the main ebb channel. The swash bar welding process has caused preferential beach nourishment and historical shoreline progradation. Along the East Frisian Islands this process has produced barrier islands with humpbacked, bulbous updrift and bulbous downdrift shapes. The model of barrier island development presented in this paper not only explains well the configuration of the German barriers but also the morphology of barriers along many other mixed energy coasts.     

Impacts of aggregate dredging on sediment composition and associated benthic fauna at an offshore dredge site in the southern North Sea

Dredging and associated screening at a dredge site in the southern North Sea (Area 408) is associated with areas of well-sorted fine sand that extend for up to 3 km to the south-east of the dredged area and overlay sediments with a more variable particle size composition. This well-sorted fine sand may reflect deposition and transport of material mobilised by the dredging and screening processes at the dredge site. Multivariate analysis of the benthic community structure suggests that marine aggregate dredging, at the level of intensity employed in the study area prior to sample collection, has had a limited impact on benthic community composition compared with that reported from studies elsewhere. This is ascribed to the likely rapid rates of recolonisation by the mobile opportunistic polychaetes and crustaceans that dominate the macrofauna of the sandy gravel deposits at this particular dredge site. Analysis of variance showed, however, that significant differences existed between the sample treatments in terms of species evenness (Pielou's J). Dredged samples were found to have the lowest mean species evenness (0.71) when compared to controls (0.77). The present study highlights the inherent difficulties in the application of general impact/recovery predictions to dredged sites with varying environmental characteristics.     

High resolution seismic profile through a Late Cenozoic delta complex in the southern North Sea

A digitally recorded and processed multichannel seismic profile between Cromer (England) and Sylt (Germany) has provided the first continuous section through the Miocene to Middle Pleistocene delta complex of the southern North Sea Basin. The profile depicts the progressive westward expansion of deltaic sedimentation that eventually filled in this gently subsiding epicontinental basin. Significant basinward shifts in seismic facies occur above all but one of 14 seismic sequence boundaries that punctuate the deposition of up to 830 m of deltaic sediments on the profile. These sequence boundaries and the morphology of prodelta, delta front, delta top and fluvio-deltaic seismic facies record the interaction between subsidence, cyclic fluctuation in sediment supply to, and cyclic change of relative sea level within the basin. Two submarine slides were developed within delta front facies in the Pliocene section and the profile has intersected a swarm of Elsterian (Middle Pleistocene) glacial palaeovalleys that have been incised into the upper part of the delta complex.     

Evidence for the sediment circulation along the coast of East Anglia

McCave (1978) suggested that, based on sediment budget considerations and coarsening of sand-size away from cliff sources, the “nesses” on the East Anglian coast of England are sites where sediment is lost to the shoreline. This view is directly opposed to that of Robinson (1966, 1980) who believed that material reached the beach from offshore at nesses largely through the effect of residual currents.

The present paper examines these two opposing views, mainly in the light of recent data from the Easton Bavents-Aldeburgh area of East Anglia. It is concluded that neither argument is proven although it is more probable that nesses are places where sediment is lost from the foreshore rather than gained from offshore. The variability of trends between one ness and another, and at different sites offshore, implies that generalisations may not be valid.     

Morphostratigraphy of an ebb-tidal delta system associated with a large spit in the Piedras Estuary mouth (Huelva Coast,Southwestern Spain)

The Piedras Estuary is one of the most significative estuarine systems on the mesotidal Huelva Coast, in the Northwestern portion of the Cadix Gulf. The river mouth is presently an estuarine lagoon partially closed by a large spit constructed from an old barrier island system. This estuary is in an advanced state of infilling and its tidal prism has decreased during the Holocene causing instability and clogging of old inlets and transforming the barrier island chain into a spit. Sedimentation is controlled by the interaction of ebb tide currents and the prevailing SW waves. The main sediment supply is provided by an intensive West-to-East longshore current, transporting sand material from Portuguese cliffs and the Guadiana River. Tidal range is mesotidal (2.0 m) and the mean significant wave height is 0.6 m with an average period of 3.6 s.A boxcore study allowed five depositional facies to be distinguished in the Piedras Estuary mouth: (1) main ebb channels; (2) marginal flood channels; (3) ebb-tidal delta lobes; (4) marginal levees; and (5) curved spits. The recent evolution studied in this area suggests a cyclic evolutionary model for the ebb-tidal delta system. The architectural facies relations shown by the vibracore/boxcore study confirm that the apical growth of the spit occurred over the innermost of these ebb-tidal deltas. Consequently the preserved sequence shows the ebb-tidal delta facies under the spit facies.     

Geophysical evidence for cyclic sediment deposition on the southern slope of Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea

Gravity flow deposits form a significant component of the stratigraphic record in ancient and modern deep-water basins worldwide. Analyses of high-resolution 3D seismic reflection data in a predominantly slope setting, the southern slope of Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea, reveal the extensive presence of gravity flow depositional elements in the Late Pliocene−Quaternary strata. Three key elements were observed: (1) mass transport deposits (MTDs) including slumps and debris flows, (2) turbidity current deposits including distributary channel complexes, leveed channel complexes and avulsion channel complexes, and (3) deep-water drapes (highstand condensed sections). Each depositional element displays a unique seismic expression and internal structures in seismic profiles and attribute maps. Based on seismic characteristics, the studied succession is subdivided into six units in which three depositional cycles are identified. Each cycle exhibits MTDs (slump or debris) at the base, overlain by turbidities or a deep-water drape. The genesis of these cycles is mainly controlled by frequent sea-level fluctuations and high sedimentation rates in the Late Pliocene–Quaternary. Moreover, tectonics, differential subsidence, and paleo-seafloor morphology may have also contributed to their formation processes. The present study is aimed to a better understanding of deep-water depositional systems, and to a successful hydrocarbon exploration and engineering-risk assessment.     

Modelling an anthropogenic effect of a tidal basin evolution applying tidal and wave boundary forcings: Ley Bay,East Frisian Wadden Sea

Potential physical impacts of an anthropogenic effect on a tidal basin evolution are investigated applying the Delft3D model suite under both tidal and wave boundary forcings. Study area is based on a peninsula construction of the Ley Bay in the East Frisian Wadden Sea. Model simulation spans from 1975 to 1990 in two stages of which the second stage begins with the implemented peninsula on the 1984 predicted morphology. The model bed consists of initially distributed three sediment fractions. Sensitivity of the Ley Bay evolution is analysed under three different sediment transport formulations: 1) Van Rijn, 1993 (VR93), 2) Soulsby, 1997 (SVR) and 3) Van Rijn et al., 2004 (VR04).Offshore tides and waves are transformed up to the model boundaries via a nested modelling approach and a statistically derived highly schematised wave climate is adopted in the simulations. Predicted morphologies indicate lower agreement with the measured morphology due to including very sparse data. Despite this discrepancy, they reproduce the major changes in the Ley Bay caused by the peninsula construction while each formula results in a slightly different channel/shoal pattern. Predicted evolution under the SVR shows the strongest sediment exporting system and therefore the lowest agreement with the 1990 measured morphology. Both VR93 and VR04 formulas resulted in marginal exporting systems and more or less similar morphologies. In fact, only the VR04 prediction indicates a fair agreement with the 1990 data. Temporal evolution under the VR04 shows concentrated velocity patterns at the bay entrance and in the eastward bay channel resulting in the development of this channel and sedimentation in the southern part of the bay as found in the data.     

Erodibility of a mixed mudflat dominated by microphytobenthos and Cerastoderma edule, East Frisian Wadden Sea,Germany

Sediment erodibility and a range of physical and biological parameters were measured at an intertidal site in the German Wadden Sea area in June, September and November 2002 and February and April 2003 in order to examine the influence of macrozoobenthos and microphytobenthos on sediment erodibility and the temporal variation. The study site was a mixed mudflat situated in the mesotidal Baltrum–Langeoog tidal basin at the East Frisian barrier coast. The mud content at the site was about 35% and the filter-feeding cockle Cerastoderma edule was the dominating macrozoobenthic species (by biomass). The erodibility of the sediment showed strong temporal variation with high erosion thresholds in spring and late summer and significantly lower thresholds during the rest of the study period. The erosion thresholds were strongly dependent on the contents of chlorophyll a (chl a) and colloidal carbohydrates, both indicators of the content of microphytobenthos, in this environment primarily benthic diatoms. The content of microphytobenthos was high in September 2002 and April 2003, and regression analysis indicated that this was the only likely reason for the low erodibility found at these times. A biostabilisation index of about 4.5 was found for a situation with both abundant biofilms and cockles.     

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.     

中国黄海、东海和南海北部海底浅层沉积物声学物理性质之比较

黄海、东海和南海北部海底沉积物声学物理性质存在着差异,这与海区海底地质和沉积环境有关。取样所及的海底沉积物样品分析表明:黄海实验海区海底有6种沉积类型,东海实验海区海底有3种沉积类型,南海北部大陆架海区海底有6种沉积类型。三个海区的沉积物密度为1.48～2.03g·cm-3;沉积物含水量为10%～90%;沉积物孔隙度为65%～80%;沉积物纵波声速为1460～1916m·s-1;沉积物横波声速为115～611m·s-1。     

Effects of sediment on fish communities in East Cape streams,North Island,New Zealand

We examined the effects of sediment on fish communities at 38 sites in the East Cape region of New Zealand. Many streams in this region are subject to high sediment loads, a natural situation that has been exacerbated by the conversion of native forest to pasture. The fish community consisted of diadromous native species common throughout New Zealand that require access to and from the sea. We found that site altitude and distance inland were important factors in determining the abundance and composition of the fish community. We used four measures as indices of sediment load: suspended sediment concentration, median substrate size, substrate stability, and the ratio of the wetted width to the width of the active (non‐vegetated) stream channel. Although all indices were correlated, the ratio of wetted width to width of active channel was most closely related to fish abundance and diversity. Fish abundance and diversity reduced as sediment load increased among streams, with up to nine fish species in streams with low sediment loads and only two species in streams with high sediment loads. In‐stream habitat also varied with sediment load; as load increased, depth and substrate size decreased and velocity increased. These results suggest that activities that increase sediment loads in rivers will have a negative impact on native fish communities in New Zealand.     

Methane in the southern North Sea: Sources, spatial distribution and budgets

Measurements of methane (CH₄) so far have always shown supersaturation in the entire North Sea relative to the atmospheric partial pressure and the distribution of surface CH₄ reveals a distinct increase towards the shore. Since North Sea sediments presumably are an insignificant source for CH₄ the coastal contribution via rivers and tidal flats gains in importance.In this work, CH₄ data from the River Weser, the back barrier tidal flats of Spiekeroog Island (NW Germany), and the German Bight are presented. Results from the River Weser are compared to other rivers draining into the German Bight. Measurements in the tidal flat area of Spiekeroog Island highlight this ecosystem as an additional contributor to the overall CH₄ budget of the southern North Sea. A tidally driven CH₄ pattern is observed for the water column with maximum values during low tide. Tidal flat sediments turn out to be the dominating source because pore waters discharged during low tide are highly enriched in CH₄. In contrast, the freshwater contribution to the tidal flats by small coastal tributaries has almost no impact on water column CH₄ concentrations. The CH₄ level seems to be disturbed irregularly by wind forcing due to elevated degassing and prevention of advective flow when tidal flats remain covered by water.Based on our data, two model calculations were used to estimate the impact of tidal flats on the CH₄ budget in the German Bight. Our results demonstrate that the back barrier tidal flats of the east Frisian Wadden Sea contribute CH₄ in an order of magnitude between the Wash estuary and River Elbe and thus have to be considered in budget calculations.     

浙江南部近海鱼类分类多样性研究

根据2015年11月至2016年8月浙江南部近海鱼类调查资料,采用纳尔逊分类系统整理鱼类物种组成,通过计算分类阶元包含指数(TINCL_i)、分类多样性指数(平均分类差异指数△+和分类差异变异指数∧+)分析浙南近海鱼类的分类多样性。调查结果共记录鱼类182种,分属18目78科130属。TINCL_i分析结果显示,浙南近海鱼类种类组成中,其目、科、属所包含的(科、属、种)、(属、种)和(种)的平均数目分别为(4.33、7.22、10.11)、(1.67、2.33)和(1.40)。浙江南部近海鱼类△+值和∧+值分别为62.9和77.0。浙江南部近海鱼类△+值小于高纬度的黄、渤海(66.4)和山东近海(66.1),大于低纬度的南沙群岛(56.6)、西沙群岛(60.2)和东沙群岛(55.2),呈现随着纬度降低鱼类△+值随之降低的规律。通过分析浙江南部近海鱼类的分类多样性,可以为浙江南部近海鱼类资源的可持续开发利用及保护提供重要的参考依据。