Water circulation, sediment dynamics, erosional and accumulative processes in the Gironde Estuary (France)

The basic features of the hydrological regime and morphodynamics of the mouth area of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and its part, i.e., the Gironde Estuary, are discussed. The main attention is given to the analysis of water circulation and sediment dynamics in the Gironde Estuary under the joint impact of seasonal river flow and tidal fluctuations. In addition to this, the estuary evolution during the Holocene period and regularities of present-day erosional and accumulative processes are characterized.     

Seasonal and spatial variation in suspended matter,organic carbon,nitrogen, and nutrient concentrations of the Senegal River in West Africa

The Senegal River is of intermediate size accommodating at present about 3.5 million inhabitants in its catchment. Its upstream tributaries flow through different climatic zones from the wet tropics in the source area in Guinea to the dry Sahel region at the border between Senegal and Mauritania. Total suspended matter, particulate and dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen as well as nutrient concentrations were determined during the dry and wet seasons at 19 locations from the up- to downstream river basin. The aims of the study were to evaluate the degree of human interference, to determine the dissolved and particulate river discharges into the coastal sea and to supply data to validate model results. Statistical analyses showed that samples from the wet and dry season are significantly different in composition and that the upstream tributaries differ mainly in their silicate and suspended matter contents. Nutrient concentrations are relatively low in the river basin, indicating low human impact. Increasing nitrate concentrations, however, show the growing agriculture in the irrigated downstream areas. Particulate organic matter is dominated by C4 plants during the wet season and by aquatic plankton during the dry season. The total suspended matter (TSM) discharge at the main gauging station Bakel was about 1.93 Tg yr⁻¹ which is in the range of the only available literature data from the 1980s. The calculated annual discharges of particulate organic carbon (POC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) are 55.8 Gg yr⁻¹, 54.1 Gg yr⁻¹, and 5.3 Gg yr⁻¹, respectively. These first estimates from the Senegal River need to be verified by further studies.     

Spatial and seasonal variability of sediment oxygen consumption and nutrient fluxes at the sediment water interface in a sub-tropical lagoon (New Caledonia)

In order to quantify the spatial and seasonal variations of sediment oxygen consumption and nutrient fluxes, we performed a spatial survey in the south west lagoon of New Caledonia during the two major seasons (dry and wet) based on a network of 11 sampling stations. Stations were selected along two barrier reef to land transects representing most types of sediments encountered in the lagoon. Fluxes were measured using ex-situ sediment incubations and compared to sediment characteristics. Sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) varied between 500 and 2000 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹, depending on season and stations. Nutrient effluxes from sediment were highly variable with highest fluxes measured in muddy sediments near the coast. Inter-sample variability was as high as seasonal differences so that no seasonally driven temperature effect could be observed on benthic nutrient fluxes in our temperature range. Nutrient fluxes, generally directed from the sediment to the water column, varied between −5.0 and 70.0 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹ for ammonia and between −2.5 and +12.5 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹ for PO₄ and NO₂₊₃. SOC and nutrient fluxes were compared to pelagic primary production rates in order to highlight the tight coupling existing between the benthic and pelagic compartments in this shallow tropical lagoon. Under specific occasions of low pelagic productivity, oxygen sediment consumption and related carbon and nutrient fluxes could balance nearly all net primary production in the lagoon. These biogeochemical estimates point to the functional importance of sediment biogeochemistry in the lagoon of New Caledonia.     

Seasonal contribution of living phytoplankton carbon to vertical fluxes in a coastal upwelling system (Ría de Vigo, NW Spain)

The aim of this study is to explore the contribution of living phytoplankton carbon to vertical fluxes in a coastal upwelling system as a key piece to understand the coupling between primary production in the photic layer and the transfer mechanisms of the organic material from the photic zone. Between April 2004 and January 2005, five campaigns were carried out in the Ría de Vigo (NW Iberian Peninsula) covering the most representative oceanographic conditions for this region. Measurements of particulate organic carbon (POC), chlorophyll-a (chl a), phaeopigments (phaeo), and identification of phytoplankton species were performed on the water column samples and on the organic material collected in sediment traps.The POC fluxes measured by the sediment traps presented no seasonal variation along the studied period ranging around a mean annual value of 1085±365 mg m⁻² d⁻¹, in the upper range of the previously reported values for other coastal systems. The fact that higher POC fluxes were registered during autumn and winter, when primary production rates were at their minimum levels points to a dominant contribution of organic carbon from resuspended sediments on the trap collected material. On the contrary, fluxes of living phytoplankton carbon (C_phyto) and chl a clearly presented a seasonal trend with maximum values during summer upwelling (546 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ and 22 mg chl a m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively) and minimum values during winter (22 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ and 0.1 mg chl a m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively). The contribution of C_phyto to the vertical flux of POC ranged between 2% and 49% in response to the pelagic phytoplankton community structure. Higher values of C_phyto fluxes were registered under upwelling conditions which favour the dominance of large chain-forming diatoms (Asterionellopsis glacialis and Detonula pumila) that were rapidly transferred to the sediments. By contrast, C_phyto fluxes decreased during the summer stratification associated with a pelagic phytoplankton community dominated by single-cell diatoms and flagellates. Minimal C_phyto fluxes were observed during the winter mixing conditions, when the presence of the benthic specie Paralia sulcata in the water column also points toward strong sediment resuspension.     

Temporal relations between meander deformation,water discharge and sediment fluxes in the floodplain of the Rio Beni (Bolivian Amazonia)

The Andean Cordillera and piedmont significantly influence river system and dynamics, being the source of many of the important rivers of the Amazon basin. The Beni River, whose upper sub‐catchments drain the Andean and sub‐Andean ranges, is a major tributary of the Madeira River. This study examines the river in the south‐western Amazonian lowlands of Bolivia, where it develops mobile meanders. Channel migration, meander‐bend morphology and ox‐bow lakes are analysed at different temporal and spatial scales. The first part of this study was undertaken with the aim to link the erosion–deposition processes in the active channel with hydrological events. The quantification of annual erosion and deposition areas shows high inter‐annual and spatial variability. In this study, we investigate the conditions of sediment exportation in the river in relation to three hydrological parameters (flood intensity, date of discharge peak and duration of the bank‐full stage level). The second part of this study, focusing on the abandoned meanders, analyses the cutoff processes and the post‐abandonment evolution during 1967–2001. This approach shows the influence of the active channel behaviour on the sediment diffusion and sequestration of the abandoned meanders and allows us to build a first model of the contemporary floodplain evolution. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of turbidometry to characterize suspended sediment and phosphorus fluxes in the Lake Tahoe basin,California, USA

The efficacy of in‐stream nephelometric turbidometry as a surrogate for total suspended solids (TSS) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations was evaluated for use in low turbidity (<50 NTU) subalpine watersheds at Lake Tahoe, California–Nevada, USA. Continuous turbidity records for the 1999, 2000 and 2001 snowmelt seasons and data from water quality samples (1982–2000) were examined to determine watershed sediment delivery dynamics. Strong correlations were found between turbidity and both TSS and TP concentration. The strong correlation indicates that turbidity can serve as a good surrogate for direct measurement in these watersheds. The watersheds displayed clockwise hysteresis: sediment flushing and depletion, on daily, seasonal and decadal time‐scales. The hysteresis curves had strong concave shapes, indicating a sensitive response to peak flow. A pronounced seasonal trend was observed for the ratio of suspended sediment concentration (SSC)/discharge over time, indicating early season flushing of available sediment. Significant linear relationships (p < 0·05) were found for 12 of 17 years. Comparison of annual sediment rating curve coefficients indicated smaller coefficients during high sediment loading years and in the years following. The smaller coefficients are evidence of sediment depletion during high flow years. The effect of hysteresis on monitoring methods was illustrated by comparing turbidity estimates of TSS load with sediment rating curve estimates of SSC. After accounting for differences in SSC/TSS methods of analysis, daily loads calculated with turbidity methods were 58–98% of rating curve estimates for the spring snowmelt seasons of 1999–2001. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inorganic nitrogen control in wastewater treatment ponds from a fish farm (Orbetello, Italy): denitrification versus Ulva uptake

The aim of this study was to quantify the N removal efficiency of an Ulva-based phytotreatment system receiving wastewaters from a land-based fish farm (Orbetello, Italy), to identify the main biogeochemical pathways involved and to provide basic guidelines for treatment implementation and management. Fluxes of O2 and nutrients in bare and in Ulva colonised sediments were assessed by light/dark core incubations; denitrification by the isotope pairing technique and Ulva growth by in situ incubation of macroalgal disks in cages. O2 and nutrient budgets were estimated as sum of individual processes and further verified by 24-h investigations of overall inlet and outlet loads. Ulva uptake (up to 7.8 mmol Nm(-2) h(-1)) represented a net sink for water column and regenerated NH4+ whilst N removal via denitrification (10-170 micromol Nm(-2) h(-1)) accounted for a small percentage of inorganic nitrogen load (<5%). Laboratory experiments demonstrated a high potential for denitrification (over 800 microM Nm(-2) h(-1)) indicating that N loss could be enhanced. The control of Ulva standing stocks by optimised harvesting of surplus biomass may represent an effective strategy to maximise DIN removal and could result in the assimilation of approximately 50% of produced inorganic nitrogen.     

Using Rn to estimate submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and the associated nutrient fluxes into Xiangshan Bay,East China Sea

Continuous radon (²²²Rn) monitoring was conducted at two stations (site A and site B) with different perpendicular distance from the shoreline in Xiangshan Bay, East China Sea. Based on a ²²²Rn balance model (various sources and sinks of ²²²Rn in coastal water), the average rate of SGD was estimated to be 0.69 cm/day and 0.23 cm/day for site A and site B, respectively. The results from a nutrient analysis of the groundwater indicate that the associated nutrients fluxes loading through the SGD pathway were 4.27 × 10⁶ mol/day for DIN, 2.24 × 10⁴ mol/day for DIP and 1.82 × 10⁶ mol/day for DSi, respectively, which were comparable to or even higher than the levels observed in the local streams. Therefore, adequate attention should be paid to the importance of SGD as one source of nutrients during the eutrophication control process in this area.     

Seasonal and spatial variation of floc size,settling velocity,and density on the inner Adriatic Shelf (Italy)

Measurements of floc sizes, floc settling velocities and effective floc densities were obtained at three locations on the inner Adriatic shelf (Italy) in February and May/June 2003 using the in situ size and settling column tripod INSSECT (Mikkelsen et al., 2004. INSSECT—an instrument platform for investigating floc properties close to the seabed. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 2, 226–236). Measurements were carried out in a water depth of 8–12 m and the final data set comprised 2491 flocs. Relationships of observed floc size vs. floc settling velocity and floc size vs. effective floc density were similar to those observed by other authors working in similar settings. The raw data showed significant scatter around mean trends, indicating that only a relatively small fraction of variability in floc settling velocity and effective floc density was explained by floc size. For bin-averaged data, however, much of the variability in settling velocity and density was explained by floc size. On the Adriatic shelf mean floc settling velocities varied from 0.48 to 1.35 mm s⁻¹, while mean effective floc densities varied from 8.1 to 27.5 kg m⁻³; within the range reported by other authors. Analysis of variance showed significant differences in floc settling velocities, effective floc densities and floc size in space and time (seasons). Thus, floc settling velocities, effective floc densities and floc size on the inner Adriatic shelf could not be characterized by a common mean, but were more appropriately characterized by a range of values, varying in time and space.     

不同生态修复措施下太湖西五里湖沉积物氮磷形态的时空分布

以太湖西五里湖为研究对象,研究了生态修复工程实施两年后,疏浚区、疏浚并水生植被重建示范区、退渔还湖区及对照区沉积物中氮、磷形态的季节变化及垂直分布特征,同时分析了各区上覆水的氮磷含量.结果表明:生态修复措施的实施对沉积物中氮磷形态分布及上覆水的氮磷含量影响显著.示范区和退渔还湖区水体中氮磷含量较低;沉积物中不同磷形态的垂直分布变化较复杂;疏浚基础上进行的水生植被重建对Lab-P、Al-P、Fe-P的吸收作用显著,对Ca-P、Org-P的影响较小;退渔还湖区沉积物磷形态以Ca-P、Org-P为主,Fe-P所占比例较低,与疏浚区不同.生态修复措施对沉积物中TN的影响较小;示范区NH 4 -N含量在秋季突增,可能与植物残体形成的有机质的分解有关.疏浚区水体中氮磷含量与对照区差别不大,沉积物中TN的平均含量还略高于对照区,因此单一的疏浚措施对水环境改善的长期作用需要进一步研究.而示范区水体及沉积物中的TN、TP含量均比较低,水生植被恢复较好,可见在减少外来污染的前提下,对湖区底泥进行疏浚并开展水生植被恢复工程应该是控制湖泊富营养化的有效途径.     

Appraisal of the carbon to nitrogen(C/N)ratio in the bed sediment of the Betwa River,Peninsular India

Bed sediment carbon to nitrogen(C/N) ratio is one of the essential variables reflecting sources of organic matter in river basins.In order to explore the spatial variability in sources of sediment C/N ratios,and the influence of land use and land cover(LULC) changes on the Betwa River basin in Peninsular India,51 river bed sediment samples were collected in December 2016.The coefficient of variation(CV) was35%indicating highly variable biogeochemical parameters.The sediment C/N ratio varied from 2.94 to 10.09.3.21-56.40,and 6.50-76.97 in upstream,mid-stream,and downstream regions,respectively,indicating a progressive change in sources of organic matter and depositional environment.The positive correlation between total carbon(TC) and C/N ratio was increasing in the downstream direction [upstream(+0.560) mid-stream(+0.603) downstream(+0.838)],which is an indication of high deposition and slow decomposition of sedimentary terrigenous organic matter distant from the regions of urban pollution.The LULC change analysis done by remote sensing and Geographic Information System(GIS)methods revealed an adverse change for the forests and barren land and a positive change for the agricultural land and built-up areas.The sediment C/N ratio mapping showed the impact of LULC changes on the sediment quality.The spatial distribution of bed sediment C/N ratio in the Betwa River basin has important reference value for managing organic matter transport in the downstream Yamuna River and Ganga River basin.     

Particulate matter fluxes in the southern and central Kara Sea compared to sediments: Bulk fluxes, amino acids, stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes, sterols and fatty acids

The Kara Sea is one of the arctic marginal seas strongly influenced by fresh water and river suspension. The highly seasonal discharge by the two major rivers Yenisei and Ob induces seasonal changes in hydrography, sea surface temperature, ice cover, primary production and sedimentation. In order to obtain a seasonal pattern of sedimentation in the Kara Sea, sediment traps were deployed near the river mouth of the Yenisei (Yen) as well as in the central Kara Sea (Kara) within the framework of the German–Russian project “Siberian River run-off; SIRRO”. Two and a half years of time-series flux data were obtained between September 2000 and April 2003 and were analyzed for bulk components, amino acids, stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes as well as sterols and fatty acids.Sediment trap data show that much of the annual deposition occurred under ice cover, possibly enhanced by zooplanktonic activity and sediment resuspension. An early bloom of ice-associated algae in April/May occurred in the polynya area and may have been very important to sustain the life cycles of higher organisms after the light limitation of the winter months due to no/low insolation and ice cover. The strong river input dominated the months June–August in the southern part of the Kara Sea. The central Kara Sea had a much shorter productive period starting in August and was less affected by the river plumes. Despite different time-scales of sampling and trapping biases, total annual fluxes from traps were in the same order of magnitude as accumulation rates in surface sediments. Terrestrial organic carbon accumulation decreased from 10.7 to 0.3 g C m⁻² a⁻¹ from the riverine source to the central Kara Sea. Parallel to this, preservation of marine organic matter decreased from 10% to 2% of primary productivity which was probably related to decreasing rates of sedimentation.     

南京玄武湖浮游细菌群落结构的季节变化及其与环境因子的关系

应用16S rRNA基因末端限制性片段长度多态性技术和多元统计方法,探究了南京玄武湖浮游细菌群落结构的季节性变化,并找出了浮游细菌群落组成分布的主要影响因子.结果表明,玄武湖4个季节中夏季Invsimpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou指数最高,而春季最低.非度量多维尺度分析结果显示浮游细菌群落结构存在着明显的季节性变化.Mantel检验、典范对应分析、变量分割分析表明影响玄武湖细菌群落结构最显著的环境因子为温度,其次为pH.营养盐浓度对玄武湖细菌群落结构的影响不显著.总的来说,本研究将有助于更好地理解富营养化水体中的浮游细菌群落组成的季节变化规律.     

Temporal and spatial variation in the sediment volume along the beaches between Ovari and Kanyakumari (SE INDIA)

A 2-year set of profile data from Ovari to Kanyakumari Beach,SE India has been analysed by using empirical orthogonal function(EOF) techniques to identify characteristic patterns of temporal and spatial variation in the sediment volume of the beaches.The results show that variation in the sediment volume of the beach is determined by interaction between the biennial and seasonal exchanges.EOF analysis the pattern of alongshore sediment exchange along the study area.The method facilitated separation of onshore-offshore and alongshore modes of sediment transfer and identification of the patterns of alongshore sediment exchange.The eigenfunction modes confirm the dominance of biennial,annual,and biannual sediment transfers occurring on study area.The sediment movement along the shoreline of study area is mainly governed by the forces associated with the incoming waves and the availability of sediments within the area.The present investigation has been made as an attempt to appreciate the sediment movement in relation to wave activity along the coast.The longshore sediment transport is intensive in the northerly direction as compared to southerly direction.The normal condition is for and to be moved annually or more frequently in the shallows and on the beach.Waves and wave-driven currents cause longshore drift of sand along the beach and offshore.     

Seasonal and spatial variation in lipid and triacylglycerol levels in juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from the Bridge River, British Columbia

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the primary form of energy storage in fish, but little work has been done on the dynamics of TAG storage and use in relation to environmental conditions. We sampled age-0 chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in two reaches of a regulated river in British Columbia, Canada that had different discharge regimes. During the summer, fish from the reach with high freshet flows grew more slowly and had lower TAG levels than those from the reach with lower and more stable flows. In addition, smaller individuals had lower TAG levels than larger ones. We suggest that in the reach with higher flows fish were unable to obtain sufficient surplus energy for somatic growth and lipid storage. In the fall, when flows were lower, TAG storage increased and the proportion of total lipids that were TAGs were similar for both small and large fish. The allocation of energy to TAG stores was likely a strategy to ensure individuals had sufficient energy for overwintering. Our results suggest that individual-based variation in TAG levels may be sensitive to environmental factors and can be used as a measure of fish condition and performance, but more work is needed to fully understand lipid dynamics in seasonally and spatially variable rearing environments.     

Magnitude and variation in the contribution of bank erosion to the suspended sediment load of the River Severn,UK

The wide range of studies describing the role of bank erosion in fluvial sediment supply have mostly lumped amounts of bank erosion into coarse temporal units, such as years. This paper investigates sediment yields from individual bank erosion events within the upper River Severn, UK (basin area 380 km²). Manual erosion pins and photo-electronic erosion pins were used to estimate bank erosion, and turbidity meters were used to determine suspended sediment transport. At the annual time-scale, the silt-clay fraction of bank-derived sediment accounted for an equivalent of 17 per cent of the suspended load, increasing to an average of 38 per cent at the monthly timescale, and then to an average of 64 per cent at the event timescale. This research highlighted that for an upland catchment, bank erosion was an important supply of suspended sediment, and that for some flood events bank erosion can supply more sediment than is transported. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Faecal-indicator bacteria and sedimentary processes in estuarine mudflats (Seine, France)

Over a three-year period, quantification of faecal indicators and the molecular detection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella were monitored in sediments from three contrasting mudflats of the Seine estuary (France). The elevation of the mudflat surface was monitored concurrently using a high-resolution altimeter. During the period of the study, estuarine mudflats were areas of deposition for faecal-indicator bacteria and were mainly controlled by sedimentary processes. In the intertidal freshwater and subtidal mudflats, the highest abundances of faecal-indicator bacteria were counted during a depositional period. Maximum levels were observed in the freshwater mudflats during periods of high flow: thermotolerant coliforms: 3.9 x 10(4) cfu cm(-2), enterococci: 1.2 x 10(4) cfu cm(-2), Clostridium perfringens spores: 9.8 x 10(5) spores cm(-2). Loss of culturability of enteric bacteria in sediment microcosms demonstrated the remediatory capacity of the mudflats, even if they might be a secondary source of bacteria-forming spores to the water column through erosion and resuspension events.     

History of anthropogenic nitrogen input to the German Bight/SE North Sea as reflected by nitrogen isotopes in surface sediments,sediment cores and hindcast models

The German Bight/SE North Sea is considered a hot-spot of river-induced eutrophication, but the scarce observational data of river nitrate loads prior to the 1970s complicate the assessment of target conditions for environmental management and legislation. Stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ¹⁵N) in sediment records can be used to decipher historical river nitrate contributions. To better constrain pre-1970s conditions, we determined δ¹⁵N in archive sediment samples (1950–1969) and dated cores from the Helgoland depositional area. We also modeled the δ¹⁵N in past situations (1960 and 1860) using an N-isotope-tracking ecosystem model. The modeled spatial distribution of δ¹⁵N in sediments for 1960 conditions and the observed spatial pattern of δ¹⁵N in archive sediment samples (1950–1969) represent a period of moderate eutrophication. The modeled spatial distribution of δ¹⁵N in sediments for 1860 conditions (pre-industrial) showed a moderate δ¹⁵N gradient from the Elbe river mouth (δ¹⁵N<4‰) to the open sea (δ¹⁵N∼5‰). This pattern contrasts with the δ¹⁵N pattern in modern surface sediments, which exhibits a steep and inverted δ¹⁵N gradient from the Elbe river mouth (δ¹⁵N>9‰) to the open sea (δ¹⁵N<7‰). Modeled δ¹⁵N for 1860 conditions are consistent with δ¹⁵N values observed in dated sediment cores that span the last 900 years. Value of δ¹⁵N in sediment cores increased from approximately 1860 to 2000 by 2.5‰. The increasing trend reflects changes in the abundance and isotopic composition of riverine nitrate loads caused by anthropogenic activities. Sensitivity tests suggest that loads and isotopic ratios of nitrogen forms other than nitrate (ammonium and organic nitrogen) have minor impact on the modeled surface sediments, despite their higher abundance in the riverborne loads in the past. Our results suggest that eutrophication of the German Bight predates the 1960 period of documented rapidly increasing river loads. Pre-industrial levels of δ¹⁵N modeled with 28% of the modern annual (1990–1999) atmospheric loads and 10% of the modern annual river loads agree best with levels of δ¹⁵N (∼6‰) observed in sediments of the cores dated to 1860.