Relationship of pollution to rocky substratum polychaetes on the French Mediterranean coast

The distribution of Polychaetous Annelids (Serpulidae excluded) from infralittoral rocky shores of the French Mediterranean coast has been studied for 18 yr. Several hundred rock scrapings, each measuring 400 cm², have been made and the results analysed for species composition, Shannon-Weaver index of diversity and Sanders' similarity coefficient. These mathematical measures are well correlated with the degree of pollution. In the levels considered, the annelid settlements are structurally identical. No unique group of species was associated with the degree of pollution as is typical in the sediments. An index of biological detectors is proposed which is based on the premise of the sensitive modification of the polychaete population as a whole and is defined as the ratio of the amount of dominances of ‘polluted waters biological detectors’ (Platynereis dumerili, Theostoma oerstedi, Dorvillea rudolphi, …) to ‘pure water’ ones (Syllis spp., Amphiglena mediterranea). This ratio increases with the intensity of pollution and is always higher than 1 in a polluted environment.     

岩石原地应力的变化性

本文讨论了与不同尺度相关的岩石原地应力的变化性:构造区域尺度、工程场地尺度、洞室挖掘尺度、钻孔测量尺度以及微观尺度.造成这种应力变化性的因素有岩石非均匀性、岩石各向异性、不连续性以及自由面.本文介绍了关于岩石非均匀性导致应力变化的数值模拟.通过应力第一不变量的引入使应力随深度的变化变得明确.在锦屏Ⅱ号场地,钻孔中的岩石...     

Evaluation of induction of metallothionein-like proteins (MTLPs) in the polychaetes for biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution in marine sediments

Polychaetes are suitable organisms for evaluation of impact of sediment pollution. We evaluated toxicity of cadmium and copper and measured metallothionein-like proteins (MTLPs) in the polychaete Perinereis nuntia. At the same concentration ranges copper was unexpectedly more toxic than cadmium. Copper also caused no significant increase in MTLPs in the polychaetes. When P. nuntia and another polychaete species, Cirratulus cirratus were cultured in the contaminated sediments collected from Lake Sihwa (Korea), a high mortality of 80% was observed on day 6 in P. nuntia in the sediment with the highest metal concentration. However, no mortality was observed up to 35 days in C. cirratus in any sediment. MTLP contents between two species also varied. These findings suggest that MTLP induction response in the polychaetes varies with the metal type and species and it may be used as a biomarker of sediment pollution in the polychaetes after further validation and field trials.     

Evaluation of induction of metallothionein-like proteins (MTLPs) in the polychaetes for biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution in marine sediments

Polychaetes are suitable organisms for evaluation of impact of sediment pollution. We evaluated toxicity of cadmium and copper and measured metallothionein-like proteins (MTLPs) in the polychaete Perinereis nuntia. At the same concentration ranges copper was unexpectedly more toxic than cadmium. Copper also caused no significant increase in MTLPs in the polychaetes. When P. nuntia and another polychaete species, Cirratulus cirratus were cultured in the contaminated sediments collected from Lake Sihwa (Korea), a high mortality of 80% was observed on day 6 in P. nuntia in the sediment with the highest metal concentration. However, no mortality was observed up to 35 days in C. cirratus in any sediment. MTLP contents between two species also varied. These findings suggest that MTLP induction response in the polychaetes varies with the metal type and species and it may be used as a biomarker of sediment pollution in the polychaetes after further validation and field trials.     

A reevaluation of in situ cosmogenic 3He production rates

³He is among the most commonly measured terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides, but an incomplete understanding of the ³He production rate has limited robust interpretation of cosmogenic ³He concentrations. We use new measurements of cosmogenic ³He in olivine from a well-dated lava flow at Tabernacle Hill, Utah, USA, to calibrate the local ³He production rate. The new ³He measurements (n = 8) show excellent internal consistency and yield a sea level high latitude (SLHL) production rate of 123 ± 4 at g^?1 yr^?1 following the Lal (1991)/Stone (2000) scaling model [Lal, D., 1991. Cosmic ray labeling of erosion surfaces: in situ nuclide production rates and erosion models. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 104, 424–439.; Stone, J.O., 2000. Air pressure and cosmogenic isotope production. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105, 23753–23759.]. We incorporate the new measurements from Tabernacle Hill in a compilation of all published production rate determinations, characterizing the mean global SLHL production rates (e.g. 120 ± 9.4 at g^?1 yr^?1 with Lal (1991)/Stone (2000)). The internal consistency of the global ³He production rate dataset is as good as the other commonly used cosmogenic nuclides. Additionally, ³He production rates in olivine and pyroxene agree within experimental error. The ³He production rates are implemented in an age and erosion rate calculator, forming a new module of the CRONUS-Earth web-based calculator, a simple platform for cosmogenic nuclide data interpretation [Balco, G., Stone, J., Lifton, N.A., and Dunai, T.J., 2008. A complete and easily accessible means of calculating surface exposure ages or erosion rates from ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al measurements. Quaternary Geochronology, 3, 174–195.]. The ³He calculator is available online at http://www.cronuscalculators.nmt.edu/.     

In situ stress state in Mainland China

In situ stress measurements are one of the important methods for studying the recent tectonic stress field and stress state. In this paper, the stress state and variation of stresses with depth in Mainland China are presented and analyzed on the basis ofin situ stress data measured by both hydrofracturing and overcoring techniques.     

In situ rates of sulfate reduction in response to geochemical perturbations

Rates of in situ microbial sulfate reduction in response to geochemical perturbations were determined using Native Organism Geochemical Experimentation Enclosures (NOGEEs), a new in situ technique developed to facilitate evaluation of controls on microbial reaction rates. NOGEEs function by first trapping a native microbial community in situ and then subjecting it to geochemical perturbations through the introduction of various test solutions. On three occasions, NOGEEs were used at the Norman Landfill research site in Norman, Oklahoma, to evaluate sulfate-reduction rates in wetland sediments impacted by landfill leachate. The initial experiment, in May 2007, consisted of five introductions of a sulfate test solution over 11 d. Each test stimulated sulfate reduction with rates increasing until an apparent maximum was achieved. Two subsequent experiments, conducted in October 2007 and February 2008, evaluated the effects of concentration on sulfate-reduction rates. Results from these experiments showed that faster sulfate-reduction rates were associated with increased sulfate concentrations. Understanding variability in sulfate-reduction rates in response to perturbations may be an important factor in predicting rates of natural attenuation and bioremediation of contaminants in systems not at biogeochemical equilibrium.     

Toxic contaminants and their biological effects in coastal waters of Xiamen,China. II. Biomarkers and embryo malformation rates as indicators of pollution stress in fish

Baseline information is presented on embryo malformation rate and biomarkers in fish as indicators of sub-lethal stress caused by pollution in coastal waters of Xiamen, PR China. Fish and eggs were sampled from several areas in Xiamen coastal waters (Xiamen Harbour, Maluan and Tongan Bays and East Channel), where varying levels of pollutant input have been documented. Comparative sampling was done at a "cleaner" reference site at Dongshan Island. Embryonic malformation rates, which indicate general water quality, varied with location and species of fish, and exceeded background levels for unpolluted waters (assumed approximately 5%) by up to eightfold at some sites. Generally, sites around Xiamen Harbour show signs of poor water quality having highest mean levels of embryo deformity (20-30%) and these decreased towards open waters (Tongan Bay, Eastern Channel) where abnormalities approached background levels. An indication that toxic contaminants may be having a localised effect in the region, particularly in the harbour was reinforced by the biomarker assays. However, activities of the biomarkers ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and glutathione S-transferase in fish livers indicate no clear pattern, and there is no evidence that fish from the four sampling areas have been more or less exposed to PAHs and other compounds that induce these biomarkers. Antioxidant biomarkers (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and reduced glutathione) suggest that exposure to xenobiotics appears to be lowest in Dongshan and Maluan and highest in the harbour and Tongan. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase in fish muscle indicated possible effects by organophosphate and carbamate pesticides in Xiamen waters and these effects may be greatest in the area of the harbour.     

Measurement of copper release rates from antifouling paint under laboratory and in situ conditions: implications for loading estimation to marine water bodies

The release of biocides, such as copper (Cu), from antifouling (AF) coatings on vessel hulls represents a significant proportion of overall Cu loading in those harbors and estuaries where substantial numbers of small craft or large vessels are berthed. Copper release rates were measured on several self-polishing, tin-free coatings and an ablative Cu reference coating applied to steel panels using three measurement methods. The panels were exposed in natural seawater in San Diego Bay, and release rates were measured both in the laboratory and field over 2 years. Results with the static (20 cm x 30 cm) panels indicated that Cu release rates were initially high (25-65 microg Cu cm(-2)day(-1)), with a large range of values between paint types. Release rates declined to substantially lower rates (8-22 microg cm(-2)day(-1)) with reduced variability within 2 months. Release rates continued to decrease over time for approximately 6 months when relatively constant release rates were observed for most coatings. Over time, relative differences in Cu release rates measured by three exposure methods decreased, with all coatings exhibiting similar behavior toward the end of the study. Lowest overall Cu release rates were observed with the self-polishing experimental paint no. 7 in static-dynamic and in situ treatments. The highest periodic release rates were measured from panels that experienced periods of both static and dynamic exposure (8.7 ms(-1) rotation). The lowest release rates were measured from panels that experienced static, constant depth exposure, and where release rates were evaluated in situ, using a novel diver-deployed measurement system. Results from this in situ technique suggests that it more closely reflects actual Cu release rates on vessel hulls measured with intact natural biofilms under ambient conditions than measurements using standardized laboratory release rate methods. In situ measurements made directly on the AF surface of vessels demonstrated typically lower release rates than from the panel studies, averaging 8.2 microg cm(-2)day(-1) on pleasure craft, and 3.8 microg cm(-2)day(-1) on Navy vessels. The data suggest that the presence of an established biofilm likely serves to moderate the release of Cu from field-exposed antifouling coatings both on panels and hull surfaces.     

Erosion rates of alpine bedrock summit surfaces deduced from in situ Be and Al

We have measured the concentration of in situ produced cosmogenic ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al from bare bedrock surfaces on summit flats in four western U.S. mountain ranges. The maximum mean bare-bedrock erosion rate from these alpine environments is 7.6 ± 3.9 m My⁻¹. Individual measurements vary between 2 and 19 m My⁻¹. These erosion rates are similar to previous cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN) erosion rates measured in other environments, except for those from extremely arid regions. This indicates that bare bedrock is not weathered into transportable material more rapidly in alpine environments than in other environments, even though frost weathering should be intense in these areas. Our CRN-deduced point measurements of bedrock erosion are slower than typical basin-averaged denudation rates ( 50 m My⁻¹). If our measured CRN erosion rates are accurate indicators of the rate at which summit flats are lowered by erosion, then relief in the mountain ranges examined here is probably increasing.

We develop a model of outcrop erosion to investigate the magnitude of errors associated with applying the steady-state erosion model to episodically eroding outcrops. Our simulations show that interpreting measurements with the steady-state erosion model can yield erosion rates which are either greater or less than the actual long-term mean erosion rate. While errors resulting from episodic erosion are potentially greater than both measurement and production rate errors for single samples, the mean value of many steady-state erosion rate measurements provides a much better estimate of the long-term erosion rate.     

地应力观测井中元件标定及应力场计算方法

在地应力长期观测中,对井下现场标定观测元件的布设以及计算应力的相对变化是一个困难的问题。针对这个问题,提出了在钻孔内布设四个应力测量元件,而非传统三个元件的测量方法。在井下其中一个元件大体标定的情况下,对其他元件进行了相对精密标定,并给出了应力变化以及实现应力观测数据可靠性自校的计算公式。     

Probability of earthquake recurrence with nonuniform stress rates and time-dependent failure

Current methods for calculation of long-term probabilities for the recurrence of large earthquakes on specific fault segments are based upon models of the faulting process that implicitly assume constant stress rates during the interval separating earthquakes and instantaneous failure at a critical stress threshold. However, observations indicate that the process of stress recovery following an earthquake involves rate variations at all time scales in addition to stress steps caused by nearby earthquakes. Additionally, the existence of foreshocks, aftershocks and possible precursory processes suggest that there may be significant time dependence of the earthquake nucleation process. A method for determining the conditional probabilities for earthquake occurrence under conditions of irregular stressing is developed that could be useful at all time scales including those pertinent to short-and intermediate-term prediction. Used with models for earthquake occurrence at a stress threshold, the addition of variable stressing introduces a simple scaling of the conditional probabilities by stress level and stress rate. A model for the time-dependent nucleation of earthquake slip has been proposed recently that is based upon laboratory observations of fault strength. This failure criterion results in large but relatively short duration changes in the probability of earthquake recurrence particularly following stress steps. Applied to populations of earthquakes the models predicts a 1/t decay of seismicity following stress steps as observed for aftershocks and for frequency of foreshock-mainshock pairs. The model suggests that variations of seismicity rates of small earthquakes in the nucleation zone of the expected earthquake directly indicate variations in probability of recurrence of the large earthquake.     

In situ oxygen uptake rates by coastal sediments under the influence of the Rhône River (NW Mediterranean Sea)

The influence of riverine inputs on biogeochemical cycling and organic matter recycling in sediments on the continental shelf off the Rhône River mouth (NW Mediterranean Sea) was investigated by measuring sediment oxygen uptake rates using a combination of in situ and laboratory techniques. Four stations were investigated during two cruises in June 2001 and June 2002, with depths ranging from 9 to 192 m and over a distance to the Rhône River mouth ranging from 4 to 36 km. Diffusive oxygen uptake (DOU) rates were determined using an in situ sediment microprofiler and total oxygen uptake (TOU) rates were measured using sediment core incubations. There was good agreement between these two techniques which indicates that the non-diffusive fraction of the oxygen flux was minimal at the investigated stations. DOU rates ranged from 3.7±0.4 mmol O₂ m⁻² d⁻¹ at the continental shelf break to 19.3±0.5 mmol O₂ m⁻² d⁻¹ in front of the Rhône River mouth. Sediment oxygen uptake rates mostly decreased with increasing depth and with distance from the Rhône mouth. The highest oxygen uptake rate was observed at 63 m on the Rhône prodelta, corresponding to intense remineralization of organic matter. This oxygen uptake rate was much larger than expected for the increasing bathymetry, which indicates that biogeochemical cycles and benthic deposition are largely influenced by the Rhône River inputs. This functioning was also supported by the detailed spatial distribution of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and C/N atomic ratio in surficial sediments. Sediments of the Rhône prodelta are enriched in organic carbon (2–2.2%) relative to the continental shelf sediments (<1%) and showed C/N ratios exceeding Redfield stoichiometry for fresh marine organic matter. A positive exponential correlation was found between DOU and TOC contents (r²=0.98, n=4). South-westward of the Rhône River mouth, sediments contained highly degraded organic matter of both terrestrial and marine origin, due to direct inputs from the Rhône River, sedimentation of marine organic matter and organic material redeposition after resuspension events.     

青藏高原拉萨块体地应力测量及其意义

受印度板块向欧亚板块持续北东向挤压作用,青藏高原腹地拉萨块体内新构造活动强烈,其地应力特征一直是工程规划建设、地球动力学和地壳稳定性研究的重要内容.2014至2015年,沿雅鲁藏布江断裂带,分别在西藏林芝县(LZ)、朗县(LX)和乃东县(ND)开展了水压致裂原地应力测量工作.本文通过测试结果分析,获得了拉萨块体现今地壳浅表层的应力状态及分布特征.LX及ND测点应力强度均高于LZ测点,且应力结构均为逆断型,表现为S_HS_hS_v,水平应力作用占主导.LZ测点在测试深度内揭穿了断裂,且应力结构不够明确.三个测点的应力状态显示出拉萨块体现今地壳强度处于破裂临界状态,结合各测点所处构造环境,应力的持续累积可能会打破这种平衡导致断裂活动.主应力比值K_(Hv)=S_H/S_v,K_(av)=(S_H+S_h)/2S_v和K_f=(S_H—S_h)/2也显示出该区强烈的水平构造运动.三测点揭示的最大水平主应力方向集中于近SN(LX)-NNE(LZ及ND)向,与该区背景应力场特征相一致,且与地壳运动场相耦合,反映出该区应力状态主要受控于印度板块北向欧亚大陆持续挤压碰撞的构造背景,同时各测点之间应力状态的差异性也体现了区域构造作用的差异影响.     

Strength enhancement in particulate solids under high loading rates

The so-called ‘strain-rate effect’ in any material has been investigated here from a structural dynamics point of view. Starting with lumped-mass models (SDOF and 2-DOF) and assuming a rate-independent failure criterion, it is shown here how a high loading rate produces an effect of strength enhancement in any massive elastic material and how failure takes place in a stronger component of a system as the loading rate increases. Extrapolating the concept of an equivalent elastic modulus as introduced in lumped-mass models and extending the analysis to a semi-infinite elastic continuum, an algorithm has been schematized to evaluate an overall equivalent elastic modulus of a concrete body under the influence of high loading rate treating the concrete as a two-component solid mixture consisting of cement paste matrix and aggregates.     

Effect of parental hypoxic exposure on embryonic development of the offspring of two serpulid polychaetes: Implication for transgenerational epigenetic effect

Sperm production and motility, fecundity, and egg size, complexity and viability of serpulid polychaetes Hydroides elegans and Hydroides diramphus after 2-week treatment to hypoxia (2 mg O₂ l⁻¹) was compared with those under normoxia (6 mg O₂ l⁻¹). Despite reduced fecundity, the effect of parental hypoxic exposure on gamete quality was not discernible for both species. However, regardless of their subsequent dissolved oxygen environment, eggs spawned by H. elegans after hypoxic exposure were found to have lower fertilization success, slower embryonic development and a significantly higher yield of malformed embryos than those with a parental normoxic treatment. In contrast, neither fertilization success nor rate of embryonic development was affected for H. diramphus. The results implied that hypoxia was a potential stress reducing the recruitment of H. elegans through non-adaptive epigenetic effect, whereas H. diramphus was a more tolerant species to survive hypoxic events.     

Stream temperature dynamics in two hydrogeomorphically distinct reaches

The objective of this study was to analyse stream temperature variability during summer in relation to both surface heat exchanges and reach‐scale hydrology for two hydrogeomorphically distinct reaches. The study focused on a 1·5‐km wildfire‐disturbed reach of Fishtrap Creek located north of Kamloops, British Columbia. Streamflow measurements and longitudinal surveys of electrical conductivity and water chemistry indicated that the upper 750 m of the study reach was dominated by flow losses. A spring discharged into the stream at 750 m below the upper reach boundary. Below the spring, the stream was neutral to losing on three measurement days, but gained flow on a fourth day that followed a rain event. Continuous stream temperature measurements typically revealed a downstream warming along the upper 750 m of the study reach on summer days, followed by a pronounced cooling associated with the spring, with little downstream change below the spring. Modelled surface energy exchanges were similar over the upper and lower sub‐reaches, and thus cannot explain the differences in longitudinal temperature patterns. Application of a Lagrangian stream temperature model provided reasonably accurate predictions for the upper sub‐reach. For the lower sub‐reach, accurate prediction required specification of concurrent flow losses and gains as a hydrological boundary condition. These findings are consistent with differences in the hydrogeomorphology of the upper and lower sub‐reaches. The modelling exercise indicated that substantial errors in predicted stream temperature can occur by representing stream‐surface exchange as a reach‐averaged one‐directional flux computed from differences in streamflow between the upper and lower reach boundaries. Further research should focus on reliable methods for quantifying spatial variations in reach‐scale hydrology. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Echinoderms and oil pollution: A potential stress assay using bacterial symbionts

Oil pollution is a problem in the North Sea. Important sources of oil pollution are spills and drill cutting. Echinoderms are a major component of the macrobenthos in the North Sea (and elsewhere). They tend to be very sensitive to various types of marine pollution. Many species of echinoderms contain symbiotic sub-cuticular bacteria (SCB). The response of Amphiura filiformis, A. chiajei and Ophiothrix fragilis, all of which contain SCB, to oil pollution was studied in laboratory experiments, mesocosms and in the field. Sublethal stress was monitored by examining changes in the tissue loading of SCB. When subjected to hydrocarbon insult, there was a decline in the number of SCB. The potential use of SCB abundance to detect sublethal stress is discussed.     

Re-evaluating the use of beached bird oiling rates to assess long-term trends in chronic oil pollution

The oiling rate (oiled birds/total birds) has become the international standard to analyze beached bird survey data. However, this index may not reliably track long-term changes in marine oil pollution in regions where other activities that kill seabirds vulnerable to oil, such as hunting and gill-netting, are also changing. We compare the oiling rate from beached bird surveys conducted in southeastern Newfoundland between 1984 and 2006 to an alternative approach, namely trends derived from a model examining the linear density of oiled birds (birds/km). In winter, there was no change in the oiling rate since 1984, while in summer oiling rates significantly increased. In contrast, the number of oiled birds/km showed a significant decline in both winter and summer. The discrepancy in these trends was attributed to steep declines in the number of unoiled birds found in both seasons. In winter, the decline in unoiled birds/km was related to a reduction in the legal murre hunt and less onshore winds, while in summer a reduced cod fishery resulting in fewer murres drowning in nets and warming summers may have lead to the decline. The significant declines in oiled birds/km over the past three decades are hopefully an indication of less oil being present in the marine environment. Although oiled bird densities since 2000 have remained relatively low for the region (winter: 0.58 birds/km, summer: 0.27 birds/km), they still exceed densities reported elsewhere in the world.     

Comparison between satellite and in situ sea surface temperature data in the Western Mediterranean Sea

A comparison between in situ and satellite sea surface temperature (SST) is presented for the Western Mediterranean Sea during 1999. Several international databases are used to extract in situ data (World Ocean Database, MEDAR/Medatlas, Coriolis Data Center, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set). The in situ data are classified into different platforms or sensors (conductivity–temperature–depth, expendable bathythermographs, drifters, bottles, and ships), in order to assess the relative accuracy of these type of data with respect to Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer SST satellite data. It is shown that the results of the error assessment vary with the sensor type, the depth of the in situ measurements, and the database used. Ship data are the most heterogeneous data set, and therefore present the largest differences with respect to in situ data. A cold bias is detected in drifter data. The differences between satellite and in situ data are not normally distributed. However, several analysis techniques, as merging and data assimilation, usually require Gaussian-distributed errors. The statistics obtained during this study will be used in future work to merge the in situ and satellite data sets into one unique estimation of the SST.