The effect of sewage effluent on the population density and size of the clam Parvilucina tenuisculpta

Changes in the population density and size of the clam Parvilucina tenuisculpta were related to municipal waste effluent (in particular, organic nitrogen concentration) off the coast of Palos Verdes, California. Average clam size increased as sediment organic nitrogen concentration increased, but population density increased until organic nitrogen concentration reached a critical level when population density decreased dramatically. These effects were explained in terms of increased available nutrition (in the form of sediment organic nitrogen pollutants) enhancing both population and individual size growth. However, when a critical concentration of organic decomposition products was reached, population density decreased due to the toxicity of the released compounds. It is suggested that Parvilucina tenuisculpta would make a good bioindicator of organic enrichment pollution.     

Growth of an amphipod and a bivalve in uncontaminated sediments: Implications for chronic toxicity assessments

This study assessed the sensitivity of the amphipod Chaetocorophium cf. lucasi, an inhabitant of New Zealand estuarine muddy sediments, and of the bivalve Macomona liliana, commonly found in New Zealand sandflats, to sediment particle-size distribution, total organic carbon, total organic nitrogen and water content. Growth and survival were evaluated after different test exposure times using laboratory-prepared natural sediment mixtures of sand and mud. The results suggest that amphipod survival was affected by the type of sand more than by the concentration of sand in the sediment samples. In samples with high survival rates, amphipod growth was impaired in sediments with higher sand proportions after a 10-day exposure, but after longer periods (28 or 30 days) there were no significant differences among treatments which had ≤76% sand. Bivalve survival and growth were not significantly affected by different natural sediment characteristics. Test duration for chronic toxicity tests with the bivalve M. liliana and the amphipod C. cf. lucasi should be at least 28 days for the detection of significant growth relative to the initial size.     

黑藻（Hydrilla verticillata）生长和锚定的沉积物条件需求初步研究

恢复沉水植被是湖泊生态修复工程中的关键环节,明确沉水植物生长和锚定的环境条件是恢复沉水植被的重要前提。本研究以湖泊生态修复常用的沉水植物黑藻（Hydrilla verticillata）为例,结合文献分析、控制实验和野外调查3种方法研究了其生长和锚定的沉积物条件需求。结果表明,黑藻在沉积物有机质含量为0.16%～38.36%、密度为1.08～2.06g/cm3、含水率为19.80%～78.14%的范围内能正常生长,在沉积物有机质含量为0.64%～21.84%、密度为1.09～2.06 g/cm3、含水率为25.32%～72.06%的范围内适宜生长;在沉积物有机质含量为0.29%～18.30%、密度为1.16～2.06 g/cm3、含水率为19.80%～72.17%的范围内,黑藻植株能够稳定定植。本研究结果可为恢复黑藻提供初步的边界条件数据,也可为其它生态修复常用沉水植物的类似研究提供方法上的借鉴。     

Effect of an oil spill in Spitzbergen in 1978

The oil content in the sediment and the marine life along the arctic shores of Van Mijenfjord, Spitzbergen, were investigated about two years after a spill from diesel storage tanks. High values of oil were recorded in the sediment along the shore near the tanks. The shore fauna is generally poor in these areas and the only biological effect detected was the disappearance of the amphipod Gammarus setosus from the surface layers.     

南四湖消落带底泥有机磷赋存形态及分布特征

研究南四湖消落带底泥有机磷赋存形态及分布特征,有利于全面揭示湖区各形态磷迁移转化规律,对南四湖富营养化防控及南水北调东线调水水质保障具有重要的科学意义。以南四湖消落带底泥为研究对象,采用改进Hedley连续分级提取法测定底泥中各形态有机磷含量,通过紫外可见分光光谱与三维荧光光谱技术表征底泥有机分子结构特征及稳定性,反映消落带有机磷结构及稳定性差异,运用Pearson相关性分析及主成分分析解析底泥各形态磷与其他理化指标的相关性。研究结果表明,南四湖消落带底泥总磷含量均值为679.90 mg/kg,其中有机磷(OP)占比20.03%~45.69%。各赋存形态有机磷含量及相对比例大小依次为:残渣态有机磷(67.58%)＞钙结合态有机磷(16.61%)＞铁/铝结合态有机磷(7.62%)＞碳酸氢钠提取态有机磷(5.97%)＞水提取态有机磷(2.22%)。南四湖消落带底泥OP含量及形态主要受内源影响,主要来自内源性微生物代谢。南四湖消落带西岸底泥磷释放风险高于东岸和南岸消落带。相关性分析发现,消落带底泥pH与磷含量显著负相关,表明随着底泥碱性的增强可能导致底泥磷向水体中释放的风险更高;底泥有机质与OP显著正相关,表明有机质可能是OP的重要载体;主成分分析发现底泥各形态磷呈正相关性,表明消落带底泥各形态磷具有同源性。研究结果可为南四湖湖区内源磷释放控制及富营养化风险防控提供科学依据。     

Oceanic environmental changes of subarctic Bering Sea in recent 100 years: Evidence from molecular fossils

The objectives of the past studies of global cli-matological changes were to obtain and interpret in-formation about various macroclimates and paleoenvi-ronments, and to understand changing processes andmechanisms of the global system environment, so asto provide basic materials for establishing a physicalmodel of forecasting climate environment. To reduceuncertainty of forecast, it is particularly important totake variation sequences in short dimension and highresolution in global climatologic…     

Correlation assessment and monitoring of the potential pollutants in the surface sediments of Pyeongchang River, Korea

The study provides a baseline for the assessment of the organic and inorganic pollution specially, heavy metal contamination in the surface sediments of Pyeongchang River,South Korea.The assessment of the study areas was done with respect to metal pollution load,ecological risk and geoaccumulated risk.Based upon the used indices,a priority index(P_index) was used to rank the utmost contaminated sites.Though the concentrations of mercury in all sediments were below the guideline, the significant enriched contamination was observed by all applied indices.As expected,the values of pollution load index（PLI）,ecological risk index（RI） and geoaccumulation risk index(I_geo) demonstrated lower heavy metal contamination in upstream areas compared to the downstream. Admittedly,sediments were unpolluted to slightly-polluted according to PLI while high to extremely high ecological risks were observed in several sediment samples.Furthermore,all the samples were uncontaminated as per I_geo.After simplification of I_geo,the P_index,showed the utmost contaminated sediments with a value of 2.537.Notably,protective measures should be taken to the highly contaminated areas which are prioritized by P_index Admittedly,the maximum concentrations of total organic carbon,total nitrogen,inorganic nitrogen,total phosphorous,inorganic phosphorous,calcium, magnesium,sodium and potassium were significantly observed as 7.8×10⁴,3,185,36,1,032,3.7, 1,5163,2,881,669 and 4,076mg/kg accordingly.     

Biomonitoring of heavy metal availability in the marine environment

Biomonitors can be used to establish geographical and/or temporal variations in the bioavailabilities of heavy metals in the marine environment, offering time-integrated measures of those portions of the total ambient metal load that are of direct ecotoxicological relevance. Heavy metal biomonitors need to conform to certain required characteristics, not least being metal accumulators. Use of a suite of biomonitors allows recognition of the presence and relative magnitude of different metal sources. For example, a macrophytic alga responds essentially to dissolved metal sources only, a suspension feeder like a mussel responds to metal sources in dissolved and suspended phases, and a deposit feeder responds to metal available in the sediment. Examples are given of suitable heavy metal biomonitors in the coastal waters of Europe, New Zealand, Hong Kong and China. It is not valid to compare absolute accumulated metal concentrations in biomonitors interspecifically, although interspecific comparisions of rank orders do allow cross correlations of relative bioavailabilities of heavy metals to different biomonitors at the same sites. There is a need to identify widespread cosmopolitan biomonitors to allow intra-specific comparisons of bioavailabilities between geographical areas. Such cosmopolitan biomonitors may include the alga Ulva lactuca, mussels of the genera Mytilus and Perna, the oysters Ostrea and Crassostrea, barnacles like Balanus amphitrite and Tetraclita squamosa, and the talitrid amphipod Platorchestia platensis. A major caveat in the use of such cosmopolitan biomonitors remains the need for reliable, specific taxonomic identification.     

Sediment toxicity and the distribution of amphipods in Commencement bay,Washington, USA

The toxicity of 175 sediment samples from Commencement Bay, Washington, was measured by the survival of marine infaunal amphipods (Rhepoxynius abronius) during ten-day exposure to test sediment. Survival was high in sediment from offshore, deeper parts of the Bay, including two designated dredge material disposal sites. Within each of the major industrialized waterways there was a wide range in amphipod survival. Both acutely toxic and relatively nontoxic samples were collected from various areas within the Hylebos, Blair, Sitcum and City Waterways. Habitat differences, sedimentation rates, proximity to contaminant sources and sinks, and disruption of the seabed by prop scour and dredging could contribute to this variation in toxicity. Community structure data show a correlation between amphipod distribution and sediment toxicity, with lower amphipod density and species richness in the waterways than in the deeper part of the Bay. Phoxocephalid amphipods, a family that includes the bioassay species, were ubiquitous in the deeper Bay, but absent from the waterways. This correlation between laboratory and field results indicates the ecological relevance of the sediment bioassay.     

洞庭湖不同水位高程下南荻(Triarrhena lutarioriparia)种群分布格局及生长动态

通过野外不同水位高程固定样地多次调查,结合方差/均值比率法研究了不同水位高程下洞庭湖湿地南荻(Triarrhena lutarioriparia)种群分布格局及生长动态.结果表明:(1)低程区土壤含水量显著高于高程区;低程区土壤颗粒组成与高程区相比有显著差异,低程区土壤为黏砂壤土,高程区为粉砂土;低程区土壤总有机碳、全氮、铵态氮和pH值等与高程区相比无显著差异,而其硝态氮、有效磷、全钾和速效钾含量低于高程区,全磷含量却恰好相反.(2)调查期间,南荻的分布格局随着植物的生长由均匀分布逐渐变为聚集分布,低程区聚集强度更大;(3)南荻的生物量和高度均随时间增长而迅速增加,且低程区的总生物量和增长量均高于高程区;南荻的密度和基径随时间增长而增加,之后趋于平稳,且低程区均高于高程区.结果分析表明,水位高程差异引起的土壤含水量的显著变化可能是影响南荻分布格局和生长动态最重要的因素.因此,适度地调控水位、增加土壤水分含量可能是控制南荻群落扩张的重要措施.     

苦草(Vallisneria natans)衰亡对水-沉积物之间磷迁移的影响

采用沉水植物苦草(Vallisneria natans)为研究对象,在其衰亡期测定群落内、外上覆水及沉积物各形态磷的含量,以探究沉水植物在其衰亡期对上覆水和沉积物中各形态磷的影响.结果表明:苦草衰亡过程中上覆水中总磷、可溶性总磷、溶解性活性磷、颗粒磷、可溶性有机磷浓度的变化相对平稳,与对照组相比无显著差异;沉积物中各形态磷含量均呈小幅度上升趋势,在实验结束时,苦草组沉积物中总磷含量为719.27 mg/kg,和初始值比增加了14.68 mg/kg,无机磷和有机磷含量分别增加了12.06和2.20 mg/kg,氢氧化钠提取磷和盐酸提取磷含量分别增加了7.05和4.29 mg/kg.总体来看,沉水植物苦草在其衰亡过程中分解速率较慢,对水-沉积物之间各形态磷含量无显著影响.     

Comparative performances of eggs and embryos of sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) in toxicity bioassays used for assessment of marine sediment quality

The potential toxicity of sediments from various ports was assessed by means of two different liquid-phase toxicity bioassays (acute and chronic) with embryos and eggs of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Performances of embryos and eggs of P. lividus in these bioassays were compared for their interchangeable applicability in integrated sediment quality assessment. The obtained endpoints (percentages of normally developed plutei and fertilized eggs) were linked to physical and chemical properties of sediments and demonstrated dependence on sediment contamination. The endpoints in the two bioassays were strongly correlated and generally exhibited similar tendency throughout the samples. Therein, embryos demonstrated higher sensitivity to elutriate exposure, compared to eggs. It was concluded that these tests could be used interchangeably for testing toxicity of marine sediments. Preferential use of any of the bioassays can be determined by the discriminatory capacity of the test or vulnerability consideration of the test subject to the surrounding conditions.     

乌梁素海沉积物腐殖质的组成及分布特征

以乌梁素海为研究对象,应用化学方法对乌梁素海湖泊表层沉积物有机质含量、腐殖质组成、影响腐殖质的环境因子及腐殖化程度进行了研究,结果表明:乌梁素海表层沉积物有机质含量变化范围为1.06%~5.38%.有机质分布特征与表层沉积物所处的水力条件、水生植物分布、人为活动有关;腐殖质组成中,胡敏酸含量为0.65~2.78 g/kg,富里酸含量为2.19~8.72 g/kg,胡敏素是主体,含量在3.28~20.92 g/kg之间;腐殖质与环境因子的相关性分析中,各组分含量与有机质含量呈极显著相关.pH值与胡敏素含量呈显著负相关.溶解氧与富里酸、胡敏素含量分别呈极显著正相关、显著正相关.腐殖化程度分析中,随着有机质含量的上升,可提取腐殖质的相对含量下降.PQ值介于9.50%~27.06%之间,平均值为21.47%,变异较大,且腐殖化程度较低.     

水位变化对干涸湖底沉积物有机碳矿化的影响

人为干扰和气候变化会改变湖泊水位状态,明确不同水位条件下湖泊沉积物有机碳矿化特征及其影响因素,对了解内陆水生态系统碳循环具有重要意义.为探究干旱区典型盐湖沉积物有机碳矿化速率对水位变化的响应,以巴里坤湖干涸湖底原状沉积物为研究对象,初步探究了0（T1）、-9（T2）、-23（T3）、-34（T4）和-45 cm（T5）水位处理对沉积物有机碳矿化速率的影响.结果表明,T1、T2和T3处理有机碳矿化速率在试验初期较高（0~10 d）,10 d后缓慢下降,T4和T5处理有机碳矿化速率呈先增加后降低趋势;T1（1.718 μmol/（m²·s））与T3（1.784 μmol/（m²·s））处理有机碳矿化速率不存在显著差异,T1处理有机碳矿化速率是T2、T4和T5处理的1.09、3.31和3.57倍,不同处理有机碳累积矿化量表现为T3 > T1 > T2 > T4 > T5.有机碳累积矿化量（C_t）占沉积物有机碳（C₀）的比例（C_t/C₀）介于0.012~0.044之间,沉积物有机碳潜在排放量（C_i）占C₀的比例（C_i/C₀）介于0.018~0.045之间;水位降低,沉积物有机碳矿化常数（k值）减小,T1处理k值最大（0.137 d）,T4处理最小（0.032 d）.线性方程C_r=0.008x+0.488能较好地模拟有机碳矿化速率（C_r）与水位（x）的关系;不同水位处理有机碳矿化速率与模拟柱中沉积物5 cm温度呈显著的指数函数关系,T4、T5处理有机碳矿化温度敏感系数（Q₁₀）显著高于T1、T2和T3处理,即水位降低增加了巴里坤湖干涸湖底沉积物Q₁₀.因此,就巴里坤湖干涸湖底沉积物而言,水位从0 cm降至-45 cm时有机碳矿化速率降低,Q₁₀增加;反之水位上升则会促进有机碳矿化分解,Q₁₀降低.水位持续下降抑制有机碳矿化可能是维持干旱区盐湖沉积物碳库稳定的机制之一.     

基质类型对耳萝卜螺(Radix auricularia)-苦草(Vallisneria spiralis)牧食关系的影响

沉水植物和螺类都是水生生态系统的重要组成部分,两者的牧食关系也是水生食物网中重要的一环,而不同的基质类型可能会影响两者的生长和改变沉水植物对螺类牧食的防御策略.以耳萝卜螺（Radix auricularia）和苦草（Vallisneria spiralis）为对象,研究基质类型、螺类牧食对沉水植物的生长及防御策略的影响,以及基质类型及沉水植物对螺类生长和生理特征的影响.研究发现,螺类牧食和基质类型对苦草生长和元素特征具有显著的影响,存在螺类牧食时,泥沙基质和沙基质苦草的相对生长速率显著降低,泥沙、沙和泥基质苦草地上生物量分别减少了67.74%、58.58%和17.84%,根冠比分别升高了177.51%、217.23%和1.44%;且泥沙基质中苦草的叶片数显著低于无牧食组.不同基质类型下,牧食对苦草总碳含量无显著影响,但泥和泥沙组中,螺类牧食使苦草的总氮含量均显著降低,碳氮比均显著升高;沙基质下,螺类牧食使苦草总酚含量显著降低.基质类型对螺类的形态特征（除壳宽外）、生长及元素含量均无显著影响.总体来看,基质类型对耳萝卜螺牧食和苦草防御策略具有一定程度的影响,但对螺类的生长及元素特征基本无影响.本研究可以为牧食理论的研究提供基础数据支持,也可为沉水植被恢复、水生生态系统稳定提供参考,但基质类型对螺草牧食关系的长期影响,仍需进一步深入研究.     

湖泊沉积物磁学特征指示的埃及Faiyum盆地全新世以来的环境演变

利用埃及北部Faiyum盆地获得的高取芯率沉积物岩芯,进行沉积物多种磁性参数的测量,结合有机碳、介形虫、粒度等分析,在AMS14C加速器测年的基础上,建立全新世以来湖泊沉积物磁性特征变化的时间序列.结果表明,粒度效应以及沉积后的各种次生作用对沉积物的磁性特征没有明显的影响,磁性变化主要反映了沉积物不同来源组成的相对变化.全新世前沉积物磁性较弱,主要含不完全反铁磁性矿物,与周边沙漠的物质相似,结合其粒度特征,沉积物来源应以近源物质为主.全新世早中期(约10 5.4 ka BP)沉积物磁性变化相对稳定,有机质含量也较高,指示了来自尼罗河较为稳定的物质供应;而大约5.4 ka BP尤其最近约4.2 ka BP以来,磁性的明显变化反映了流域降水减少情况下,来自青尼河物质贡献的相对增加;最近约2.0 ka BP以来沉积物的磁性变化,则更多地与盆地人类活动的强化有关.总体而言,Faiyum盆地全新世以来的环境演变主要受控于全新世以来尼罗河与盆地的水力学联系.即:全新世前盆地未与尼罗河连通时,沉积物主要来源于周边沙漠的风成物质;而受全新世早-中期来流域季风降水增加的影响,泛滥的尼罗河为盆地提供了相对稳定的物质供应,湖泊也处于高湖面;全新世晚期以来,随着流域干旱化的加剧,尼罗河与盆地的连通性开始减弱,来自高磁性的青尼罗河物质贡献开始相对增加.最近约2.0 ka BP以来,虽然仍有人工运河连接尼罗河与盆地,但沉积物磁性的显著变化更多地反映了盆地人类活动的不断强化.     

Composite suspended sediment particles and flocculation in glacial meltwaters: preliminary evidence from Alpine and Himalayan basins

Research over the last decade has shown that the suspended sediment loads of many rivers are dominated by composite particles. These particles are also known as aggregates or flocs, and are commonly made up of constituent mineral particles, which evidence a wide range of grain sizes, and organic matter. The resulting in situ or effective particle size characteristics of fluvial suspended sediment exert a major control on all processes of entrainment, transport and deposition. The significance of composite suspended sediment particles in glacial meltwater streams has, however, not been established. Existing data on the particle size characteristics of suspended sediment in glacial meltwaters relate to the dispersed mineral fraction (absolute particle size), which, for certain size fractions, may bear little relationship to the effective or in situ distribution. Existing understanding of composite particle formation within freshwater environments would suggest that in‐stream flocculation processes do not take place in glacial meltwater systems because of the absence of organic binding agents. However, we report preliminary scanning electron microscopy data for one Alpine and two Himalayan glaciers that show composite particles are present in the suspended sediment load of the meltwater system. The genesis and structure of these composite particles and their constituent grain size characteristics are discussed. We present evidence for the existence of both aggregates, or composite particles whose features are largely inherited from source materials, and flocs, which represent composite particles produced by in‐stream flocculation processes. In the absence of organic materials, the latter may result solely from electrochemical flocculation in the meltwater sediment system. This type of floc formation has not been reported previously in the freshwater fluvial environment. Further work is needed to test the wider significance of these data and to investigate the effective particle size characteristics of suspended sediment associated with high concentration outburst events. Such events make a major contribution to suspended sediment fluxes in meltwater streams and may provide conditions that are conducive to composite particle formation by flocculation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using in situ cosmogenic 10Be to identify the source of sediment leaving Greenland

We use the concentration of in situ ¹⁰Be in quartz isolated from fluvial and morainal sand to trace sediment sources and to determine the relative contribution of glacerized and deglaciated terrain to Greenland's sediment budget. We sampled along the western, eastern, and southern margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet, and collected sediment sourced from glacerized (n = 19) and non‐glacerized terrain (n = 10), from channels where sediment from glacerized and non‐glacerized terrain is mixed (n = 28), from Holocene glacial‐fluvial terraces (n = 4), and from one sand dune. In situ ¹⁰Be concentrations in sediment range from 1600 to 34 000 atoms g^‐1. The concentration of in situ ¹⁰Be in sediment sourced from non‐glacerized terrain is significantly higher than in sediment sourced from glacerized areas, in mixed channel sediment, and in terrace sediment that was deposited during the Holocene. To constrain the timing of landscape exposure for the deglaciated portion of the Narsarsuaq field area in southern Greenland, we measured in situ ¹⁰Be concentration in bedrock (n = 5) and boulder (n = 6) samples. Paired bedrock and boulder ages are indistinguishable at 1σ uncertainty and indicate rapid exposure of the upland slopes at ~10.5 ka. The isotope concentration in sediment sourced from non‐glacerized terrain is higher than in sediment sourced from glacerized terrain because the non‐glacerized landscape has been exposed to cosmic radiation since early Holocene deglaciation. Sediment from glacerized areas contains a low, but measurable concentration of ¹⁰Be that probably accumulated at depth during a prolonged period of exposure, probably before the establishment of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The concentration of ¹⁰Be in mixed fluvial sediment and in terrace sediment is low, and similar to the concentration in sediment from glacerized areas, which indicates that the Greenland Ice Sheet is the dominant source of sediment moving through the landscape outside the glacial margin in the areas we sampled. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of the clam Asaphis deflorata as a potential indicator of organochlorine bioaccumulation in Hong Kong coastal sediments

In order to test its ability as a bioaccumulator, the deposit feeding clam Asaphis deflorata, collected from a clean coastal area in Hong Kong (Ding Chau, Ma On Shan), was exposed to field-collected sediments representing a gradient of contamination. Sediments were collected from four sites, namely Shek O in the southeast of Hong Kong Island, Ap Lei Chau in Aberdeen district, Tai Kok Tsui in the Mong Kok waterfront, and To Kwa Wan near Kowloon City pier. Shek O was the cleanest and To Kwa Wan was the most polluted site. Replicate 30 L fiberglass tanks containing equal numbers of organisms were maintained for 28 days, with equal quantities of sediment and filtered seawater. Prior to this the animals were depurated for 10 days in clean sediment. During the 28-day holding period, sampling of both sediment and clams was performed on days 0, 10 and 28, along with condition index measurements. Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in sediments showed that Shek O was the cleanest of the sites, followed by Ap Lei Chau, Tai Kok Tsui and To Kwa Wan. There were marked differences among the sites, especially in PAH concentrations, with To Kwa Wan showing extremely high sediment concentrations.Following exposure, the biota concentrations of various organochlorine pesticides and PCBs suggested that there was sediment concentration-dependent accumulation by A. deflorata on day 10 of the experiment. However, there was no significant increase on day 28 for any of the compounds tested. Contaminant concentrations in clams feeding on Shek O sediments were minimal and almost the same on all sampling days, indicating the presence of only baseline contaminant concentrations. The condition indices (CI) of the clams on various sampling days showed that the animals were relatively more stable in sediment from Shek O. There were some deaths in all the test tanks (including those containing Shek O sediments). In addition, clams appeared to bury faster in the cleaner Shek O sediment and remained buried, unlike those in the sediment from the other locations, where some remained predominantly on the surface. Nevertheless, despite not completely burying, the clams in other test sediments still exhibited sediment concentration-dependent tissue accumulation. The results of the investigation indicate the possibility of developing a standard test protocol for bioaccumulation by sediment dwelling invertebrates, for practical use in Hong Kong, using A. deflorata.