Actinomycetes in New York Harbour sediments and dredging spoil

A large number and variety of species of actinomycetes were isolated from sediment samples collected in New York Harbour and from the New York Bight in the course of studies on the distribution of these bacteria in coastal regions. Isolates recovered from the New York Bight sediment were similar to those from other inshore areas, although the total counts were lower. Larger numbers of actinomycetes were recovered from harbour sediments, as well as dredging spoil samples collected from a capped dump site in the New York Bight. The capping operation was monitored and effects on the microbial populations were detected. Selected genera associated with the dredge spoil were determined to be allochthonous, providing useful microbial markers for the dredged material. Many of the microbial species survive in the dump area, but some appear to be metabolically active, perhaps altering the chemical nature of the dumped material.     

Copper,zinc, cadmium,nickel, iron and manganese in the Southern Bight of the North Sea

Ni, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Fe were determined in water and suspended matter samples and Mn in suspended matter samples from the Southern Bight region of the North Sea. Four distinct areas, comprising the Rhine estuary, the Dutch coastal waters, the centre of the Bight, and the English coastal water can be distinguished on the basis of the distribution of the trace metals. The total concentrations of all metals were high in the Rhine estuary, decreased in a seaward direction to reach very low values, comparable to continental shelf water, in the centre of the Bight, and increased again towards the English coast. Elevated concentrations of dissolved Cu, Ni, Cd and Zn near the English coast are not only due to river inputs. Over the entire region, the fraction of Cd, Ni and Zn in solution was consistently more important than the fraction in the suspended particulate phase. In contast, the fraction of Fe and Mn in the solid phase was consistently greater than the fraction in solution. Total concentrations of Fe, Mn and Cu are more dictated by the suspended particulate matter concentration than Cd, Ni and Zn.     

Influence of the residual circulation on the physico-chemical characteristics of water masses and the dynamics of ecosystems in the Belgian coastal zone

Classical models of the residual circulation in the North Sea predict a north-bound residual flow in the Southern Bight. A more refined model, taking into account the mesoscale Reynolds stress exerted in the mean on the residual flow by the non-linear interactions of mesoscale processes (tides, storm surges, etc.), shows on the contrary off the Belgian coast a south-bound coastal current in relation with a residual coastal gyre. Observations of the physico-chemical characteristics of coastal waters confirm the existence of the gyre. The dynamics of coastal ecosystems here are found to be determined by the gyre; successive stages of the pelagic food chain displaying a typical spatial distribution along the deflected plume of the Scheldt estuary around the gyre ‘outerlagoon’.     

A three-dimensional numerical shelf-sea front model with variable eddy viscosity and diffusivity

A three-dimensional numerical model of circulation and eddy development in shelf-sea fronts is applied to three frontal structures, with two parameterization schemes for vertical eddy viscosity and diffusivity. The three fronts resemble those in the German Bight (a front between relatively fresh coastal water and saltier water offshore, with an interface extending from surface to bottom), the Norwegian Coastal Current (also formed by fresh coastal water but with a thermocline on one side), and the Celtic Sea (a front between water which is stratified in summer and water which is well mixed throughout the year). The two mixing assumptions, modelling the reduction of turbulence in stratified zones, are based on the Munk-Anderson scheme and the turbulent energy equation. Many features of frontal dynamics are common to all the results: strong surface currents along the front, cross-frontal circulation cells, a considerable enhancement of vertical velocities when eddies are formed, and development of eddies into cyclonic-anticyclonic vortex pairs. Cross-frontal circulation and frontal sharpening are the variables most sensitive to the different mixing assumptions. The German Bight front is the one most affected by changing these assumptions. The comparisons suggest that realistic results may be obtained from models despite the present uncertainty about vertical mixing in stratified shelf seas.     

Tidal and wind-driven surface currents in the German Bight: HFR observations versus model simulations

Tidal and wind-driven surface currents in the German Bight between shallow mudflats of the North Frisian islands and the island of Helgoland are studied using coastal high-frequency radar (HFR) observations and hindcasts from a primitive equation numerical model. The setup of the observational system is described, and estimates of expected measurement errors are given. A quantitative comparison of numerical model results and observations is performed. The dominant tidal components are extracted from the two data sources using tidal harmonic analysis and the corresponding tidal ellipses are defined. Results show that the spatial patterns of different tidal ellipse parameters are consistent in the two data sets. Model sensitivity studies with constant and variable salinity and temperature distributions are used to study density-related mechanisms of circulation. Furthermore, the role of the surface wind field in driving the German Bight circulation is investigated using the complex correlation between wind and surface current vectors. The observed change of the respective correlation patterns from the coastal to open ocean is shown to be due to a combination of density effects, the coastline and topography. The overall conclusion is that HFR observations resolve the small-scale and rapidly evolving characteristics of coastal currents well in the studied area and could present an important component for regional operational oceanography when combined with numerical modelling. Some unresolved issues associated with the complex circulation and large instability of circulation in front of the Elbe River Estuary justify further considerations of this area using dedicated surveys and modelling efforts.     

Seasonal to decadal forcing of high water level percentiles in the German Bight throughout the last century

For the purpose of coastal planning and management, especially under changing climatic conditions, enhanced knowledge about the evolution of extreme sea levels in the past, present, and future is required. This paper presents statistical analyses of high seasonal water level percentiles of 13 tide gauges in the German Bight, spanning over a period of up to 109 years throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Seasonal and annual high percentile time series of water levels were investigated in comparison to the mean sea level (MSL) for changes on seasonal, inter-annual, and decadal timescales. While throughout the first half of the twentieth century extreme water levels generally followed changes in MSL, during the second half of the century, linear extreme sea level trends exceeded those in MSL in the order of 9–64 cm per century. The largest, although insignificant, contribution to the magnitude of these trends occurs in the winter season (January to March), while smaller but, due to the generally lower atmospheric variability, significant changes are observed during spring (April to June). The observed multi-decadal trends are generally in good agreement with multi-decadal trends in the corresponding percentiles of local zonal surface winds. Only small parts of the trends remain unexplained. It is suggested that these remaining trends result from modifications in the local tidal regime. For the aspects of coastal planning, the findings clarify that in the German Bight, in addition to changes in MSL, potential changes in storminess and in the tidal regime significantly contribute to the development of extreme water levels. Since these factors have influenced the characteristic of extremes throughout the recent past, they also have to be taken into account when estimating design water levels for, e.g., dikes (in a warming climate) under changing greenhouse gas emissions.     

A statistical analysis of climate variability and ecosystem response in the German Bight

We compiled homogeneous long-term time series comprising 39 variables representing the German Bight and for the period 1975–2004. A diverse set of variables was selected to cover multiple trophic levels and different environmental forcing thus to examine long-term changes in this coastal region. Previous studies have hypothesised the presence of regime shifts in observations extending over the entire North Sea. Focusing on a smaller spatial scale, and closer to the coast, we investigated the major modes of variability in the compiled time series using principal component analysis. The results obtained confirm a previously identified regime shift in the North Sea in 1987/1988 and suggest that the German Bight is dominantly characterised by long-term modes of variability. In the German Bight, the shift of 1987/1988 is driven primarily by temperature, Gulf Stream index, frost days and Secchi depth. Changes in some of the ecosystem variables (plankton and fish) appear to be related to changes in these driving variables. In particular, we documented strong positive correlations between the long-term trend showed by the first principal component and herring, Noctiluca scintillans, and, to a lesser extent, Pleurobrachia pileus. Two gadoids, namely cod and saithe, showed negative correlations with the observed long-term mode of variability. Changes in the sum of five small calanoid copepods were, however, less marked. Phosphate and ammonium exhibited a decreasing trend over the last 30 years. Diatoms and Calanus helgolandicus did not show evidence of changes in concert to this trend. Specific analyses of the data divided into three different subsets (biological, climatic and chemical) characterise the climate of the German Bight as highly dynamic also on short timescales (a few years) as compared to much smoother biological and chemical components. The dynamic regime of the German Bight taken together with a low correlation between the major mode of variability and phytoplankton and zooplankton data suggests that the lower trophic levels of this ecosystem are remarkably resilient.     

Improved estimates of mean sea level changes in the German Bight over the last 166 years

In this paper, mean sea level changes in the German Bight, the south-eastern part of the North Sea, are analysed. Records from 13 tide gauges covering the entire German North Sea coastline and the period from 1843 to 2008 have been used to derive high quality relative mean sea level time series. Changes in mean sea level are assessed using non-linear smoothing techniques and linear trend estimations for different time spans. Time series from individual tide gauges are analysed and then ‘virtual station’ time series are constructed (by combining the individual records) which are representative of the German Bight and the southern and eastern regions of the Bight. An accelerated sea level rise is detected for a period at the end of the nineteenth century and for another one covering the last decades. The results show that there are regional differences in sea level changes along the coastline. Higher rates of relative sea level rise are detected for the eastern part of the German Bight in comparison to the southern part. This is most likely due to different rates of vertical land movement. In addition, different temporal behaviour of sea level change is found in the German Bight compared to wider regional and global changes, highlighting the urgent need to derive reliable regional sea level projections for coastal planning strategies.     

Sub-kilometer length scales in coastal waters

Patchiness or spatial variability is ubiquitous in marine systems. With increasing anthropogenic impacts to coastal resources and coastal systems being disproportionately large contributors to ocean productivity, identifying the spatial scales of this patchiness, particularly in coastal waters, is of critical importance to understand coastal ecosystem dynamics. The current work focuses on fine scale structure in three coastal regions. More specifically, we utilize variogram analyses to identify sub-kilometer scales of variability in biological and physical parameters measured by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, Monterey Bay, and in San Luis Obispo Bay between 2001 and 2004. Critical scales of variability in density, turbidity, fluorescence, and bioluminescence are examined as a function of depth and distance offshore. Furthermore, the effects of undersampling are assessed using predictive error analysis. Results indicate the presence of scales of variability ranging from 10s to 100s of meters and provide valuable insight for sampling design and resource allocation for future studies.     

TBT-pollution in the Gulf of Thailand: A re-inspection of imposex incidence after 10 years

Imposex in neogastropods was used to determine the relative TBT distribution in the Gulf of Thailand in 2006. To identify the imposex prevalence, 8757 specimens, belonging to 22 species from five families of neogastropods, were collected at 56 sites in 13 sample areas. These areas were located between the Bight of Bangkok in the north and the Malaysian border in the south. A contamination model was developed to compensate for differences in TBT sensitivity among species and to make comparisons among areas. At every area imposex was found in neogastropods. The highest incidence was in the east side of the Bight of Bangkok off Si Racha and Pattaya and in the southern part around Pattani. The same areas showed the highest frequency of imposex in 1996. While the frequency of imposex appeared to have slightly decreased in these areas, increases were found elsewhere. In Pattani Province this could be related to dumping of highly polluted harbour sediments in the shallow coastal area. The overall frequency of imposex in the Gulf of Thailand significantly increased from 1996 to 2006.     

The influence of tides, wind and waves on the net sand transport in the North Sea

Large-scale redistribution of sand by hydrodynamical processes in shelf seas is important for basin and coastal evolution on time scales of a thousand to tens of thousands of years. The influence of tides on the large-scale net sand-transport patterns in the North Sea has received much attention, but the influence of wind-driven flow and wind waves has hardly been investigated. Here, to establish the present-day situation and to develop a method that can also be used for palaeo-situations and forecasts for different sea levels, this influence is assessed for the present southern North Sea using a numerical flow model, a parametric wave model and a wave-averaged sand-transport formulation. Various forcing combinations are used to identify the dominant transport mechanisms: tides only, tides and wind, tides and waves, and combined tides, wind and waves. Wind forcing is applied in two ways to find an efficient, but still representative, method of incorporating this stochastic process: a statistical wind climatology and an observed time series. The results show that (i) the wind climatology yields a good approximation of the sand transport computed using the time series; (ii) wind-driven flow and waves only contribute significantly to the net sand transport by tides when acting together where tidal currents are small; and (iii) various combinations of forcings dominate the net sand transport in different regions of the southern North Sea: (a) tides dominate in the southern, middle and northwestern parts of the Southern Bight and in the region of The Wash; (b) tides, wind-driven flow and waves all are important in the northeastern part of the Southern Bight; and (c) wind-driven flow and waves dominate north of the Friesian Islands, in the German Bight and on the Dogger Bank. Qualitative comparison with observations shows good agreement.     

Coastal pollution hazards in southern California observed by SAR imagery: stormwater plumes, wastewater plumes, and natural hydrocarbon seeps

Stormwater runoff plumes, municipal wastewater plumes, and natural hydrocarbon seeps are important pollution hazards for the heavily populated Southern California Bight (SCB). Due to their small size, dynamic and episodic nature, these hazards are difficult to sample adequately using traditional in situ oceanographic methods. Complex coastal circulation and persistent cloud cover can further complicate detection and monitoring of these hazards. We use imagery from space-borne synthetic aperture radar (SAR), complemented by field measurements, to examine these hazards in the SCB. The hazards are detectable in SAR imagery because they deposit surfactants on the sea surface, smoothing capillary and small gravity waves to produce areas of reduced backscatter compared with the surrounding ocean. We suggest that high-resolution SAR, which obtains useful data regardless of darkness or cloud cover, could be an important observational tool for assessment and monitoring of coastal marine pollution hazards in the SCB and other urbanized coastal regions.     

Mechanisms controlling the intra-annual mesoscale variability of SST and SPM in the southern North Sea

Thermal and optical remote sensing data were used to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of sea surface temperature (SST) and of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the southern North Sea. Monthly SST composites showed pronounced seasonal warming of the southern North Sea and delineated the English coastal and continental coastal waters. The East-Anglia Plume is the dominant feature of the English coastal waters in the winter and autumn SPM composites, and the Rhine region of freshwater influence (ROFI), including the Flemish Banks, is the dominant feature of the continental waters. These mesoscale spatial structures are also influenced by the evolution of fronts, such as the seasonal front separating well-mixed water in the southern Bight, from the seasonally stratified central North Sea waters. A harmonic analysis of the SST and SPM images showed pronounced seasonal variability, as well as spring-neap variations in the level of tidal mixing in the East Anglia Plume, the Rhine ROFI and central North Sea. The harmonic analysis indicates the important role played by the local meteorology and tides in governing the SST and near-surface SPM concentrations in the southern North Sea. In the summer, thermal stratification affects the visibility of SPM to satellite sensors in the waters to the north of the Flamborough and Frisian Fronts. Haline stratification plays an important role in the visibility of SPM in the Rhine ROFI throughout the year. When stratified, both regions typically exhibit low surface SPM values. A numerical model study, together with the harmonic analysis, highlights the importance of tides and waves in controlling the stratification in the southern North Sea and hence the visibility of SPM.     

Dissolved and particulate trace metals in the Rhine estuary and the Southern Bight

Dissolved and particulate trace metals have been measured in the Southern Bight and the Rhine estuary in order to study the relative importance of precipitation and sedimentation processes as compared to mobilization processes in the estuary, and their impact on trace metal levels in the Southern Bight.     

Spectra of a shallow sea—unmixing for class identification and monitoring of coastal waters

Ocean colour-based monitoring of water masses is a promising alternative to monitoring concentrations in heterogeneous coastal seas. Fuzzy methods, such as spectral unmixing, are especially well suited for recognition of water masses from their remote sensing reflectances. However, such models have not yet been applied for water classification and monitoring. In this study, a fully constrained endmember model with simulated endmembers was developed for water class identification in the shallow Wadden Sea and adjacent German Bight. Its performance was examined on in situ measured reflectances and on MERIS satellite data. Water classification by means of unmixing reflectance spectra proved to be successful. When the endmember model was applied to MERIS data, it was able to visualise well-known spatial, tidal, seasonal, and wind-related variations in optical properties in the heterogeneous Wadden Sea. Analyses show that the method is insensitive to small changes in endmembers. Therefore, it can be applied in similar coastal areas. For use in open ocean situations or coastal or inland waters with other specific inherent optical properties, re-simulation of the endmember spectra with local optical properties is required. However, such an adaptation requires only a limited number of local in situ measurements.     

Petroleum and PAH contamination of the Black Sea

Concern has been expressed regarding the extent of contamination of the Black Sea. Analyses of coastal sediments taken from throughout the region indicate, however, that levels of petroleum hydrocarbons (2-300 microg g(-1) dry wt total hydrocarbons) are generally comparable to those encountered in the Mediterranean and are lower than concentrations reported for highly contaminated areas such as the Gulf, Hong Kong, Taiwan and New York Bight. Highest concentrations of total hydrocarbons (>100 microg g(-1) dry wt) were associated with discharges from Odessa, Sochi and the River Danube. Chronic/degraded petroleum was the major contributor at these sites. Samples from the Ukrainian coastline were comparatively clean (<10 microg g(-1) dry wt total hydrocarbons). Major contributions of fresh oil (as indicated by sigma n-C14-34) occur through the River Danube. Concerning total PAH, concentrations (7-638 ng g(-1) dry wt) compare to relatively unpolluted locations in the Mediterranean and are much lower than levels reported for polluted UK estuaries (e.g. Mersey, Tyne, Thames). Both pyrolytic and petrogenic PAH are present in most samples, although petroleum derived PAH are dominant at Sochi and pyrolytic sources are prevalent in the Bosphorus region. The absence of a correlation between total hydrocarbons and PAH (R2 = 0.04) indicates different primary sources for the two.     

Model of the Long Island Sound outflow: Comparison with year-long HF radar and Doppler current observations

A three-dimensional primitive-equation model is used to simulate the Long Island Sound (LIS) outflow for a 1-year (2001) period. The model domain includes LIS and New York Bight (NYB). Tidal and wind forcing are included, and seasonal salinity and temperature variations are assimilated. The model results are validated with the HF radar, moored acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), and ferry-based ADCP observations. The agreement between simulated and observed flow patterns generally is very good. The difference in seasonal mean currents between the model and moored ADCP is about 0.01 m/s; the correlation of dominant velocity fluctuations between the model and HF radar is 0.83; and the difference in mean LIS transport between the model and shipboard ADCP is about 5%. However, the model predicts a prominent tidally generated headland eddy not supported by the HF radar observation. The model sensitivity study indicates that the tides, winds, and ambient coastal front all have important impact on the buoyant outflow. The tides and winds cause stronger vertical mixing, which reduces the surface plume strength. The ambient coastal front, on the other hand, tends to enhance the plume.     

Estimating near-shore wave statistics from regional hindcasts using downscaling techniques

Several downscaling techniques, comprising fully dynamical and statistical–dynamical methods applied to near-shore local wave climate, are tested and assessed in terms of wave statistics with respect to the added value that can be achieved compared to larger scale data. The techniques are applied for the example of Helgoland, a small island in the German Bight. It was found that an improved representation could generally be obtained from all downscaling techniques by comparing the near-shore wave climate. Based on a balance between the required computer resources and the improvements achieved, it is suggested, to this end, that a dynamical–statistical approach based on high-resolution coastal wave modeling and linear regression provides the optimal choice.     

A multivariate analysis of planktonic molluscan distribution in the Middle Atlantic Bight

Faunal structure is described for the planktonic molluscs of the Middle Atlantic Bight based on two years of seasonal data from the continental shelf. Collection and taxa groups are constructed using numerical classification and reciprocal averaging ordination. Discriminant analysis is used to relate surface collection groups to physical variables, then taxa group distribution among these collection groups is analyzed by nodal fidelity analysis. The areal distribution of dominant species is presented by season, as is their surface temperature-salinity distribution.Four communities are recognized on the continental shelf. A subarctic community, including Limacina retroversa, Paedoclione doliiformis, and Clione limacina, is advected down the central shelf region from the northeast. A Gulf Stream community of weak vertical migrators, including Limacina trochiformis, Cavolinia longirostris, Creseis conica, Atlanta peroni, and A. gaudichaudi, is introduced onto the shelf in occasional intrusions across the shelf-edge front. A depth-limited warm-water community of strong vertical migrators, including Limacina inflata, L. bulimoides, L. lesueuri, and Cavolinia inflexa is generally confined offshore of the 100-m isobath since the extent of their daily vertical migration is greater than the bottom depths on the continental shelf. A coastal community, including the larvae of Loligo pealei and of Ensis directus is found in coastal water of local origin and is generally confined within a coastal boundary layer.     

An idealized model of tidal dynamics in the North Sea: resonance properties and response to large-scale changes

An idealized process-based model is developed to investigate tidal dynamics in the North Sea. The model geometry consists of a sequence of different rectangular compartments of uniform depth, thus, accounting for width and depth variations in a stepwise manner. This schematization allows for a quick and transparent solution procedure. The solution, forced by incoming Kelvin waves at the open boundaries and satisfying the linear shallow water equations on the f plane with bottom friction, is in each compartment written as a superposition of eigenmodes, i.e. Kelvin and Poincaré waves. A collocation method is employed to satisfy boundary and matching conditions. First, the general resonance properties of a strongly simplified geometry with two compartments, representing the Northern North Sea and Southern Bight, are studied. Varying the forcing frequency while neglecting bottom friction reveals Kelvin and Poincaré resonance. These resonances continue to exist (but with lower amplification and a modified spatial structure) when adding the Dover Strait as a third compartment and separating the solutions due to forcing from either the north or the south only. Including bottom friction dampens the peaks. Next, comparison with tide observations along the North Sea coast shows remarkable agreement for both semi-diurnal and diurnal tides. This result is achieved with a more detailed geometry consisting of 12 compartments fitted to the coastline of the North Sea. Further simulations emphasize the importance of Dover Strait and bottom friction. Finally, it is found that a sea level rise of 1 m, uniformly applied to the entire North Sea, amplifies the M2-elevation amplitudes almost everywhere along the coast, with an increase of up to 8 cm in Dover Strait. Bed level changes of ±1 m, uniformly applied to the Southern Bight only, imply weaker changes, with changes in coastal M2-elevation amplitudes below 5 cm.