A possible effect of salinity fluctuation on abundance of benthic vegetation and associated fauna in Northeastern Florida Bay

In southern Florida, a vast network of canals and water control structures mediate freshwater discharge into the coastal zone. Management protocol for one such canal network (C-111) is being modified in part to try to improve habitat for estuarine fish and wading birds in northeastern Florida Bay, an estuarine part of Everglades National Park. Changes in canal management could alter the spatial and temporal salinity regime in the estuary. To better predict the effect of such changes on estuarine habitat, abundances of submersed vegetation and benthic animals were sampled repeatedly at 12 stations that differed in salinity. A variety of other parameters were also measured (nutrients, light, temperature, oxygen, sediment characteristics, and others). Mean salinity among stations ranged from 11.4‰ to 33.1‰. Densities of benthic plants and animals differed among stations by several orders of magnitude. The standard deviation of salinity was the best environmental correlate with mean plant biomass and benthic animal density: less biota occurred at stations with greater fluctuations in salinity. The two stations with the least plant biomass also had the highest mean water temperatures. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, standard deviation of salinity accounted for 59% of the variation in the logarithm of mean plant biomass among stations. For every 3‰ increase in the standard deviation, total benthic plant biomass decreased by an order of magnitude. Mean water temperature accounted for only 14% of the variation, and mean salinity was not included for lack of significance. At stations with widely fluctuating salinities, not only was biomass low, but species dominance also frequently changed. Severe fluctuation in salinity may have prevented abundant benthos by causing physiological stress that reduced growth and survival. Salinity may not have remained within the range of tolerance of any one plant species for long enough to allow the development of a substantially vegetated benthic community. Hence, gaining control over salinity fluctuation may be the key to estuarine habitat improvement through canal management in southern Florida.     

Distribution and characterization of luminescent bacteria in a temperate estuary

The effect of temperature and salinity on numbers of luminescent bacteria present in waters of the Mystic (Conn.) River estuary was evaluated. Counts decreased with decreasing salinity; none were detected at freshwater stations. A population maximum of 35 per ml was noted at the highest salinity station (30±2‰). Highest counts were observed during winter and spring and lowest numbers occurred during summer and fall months. Isolates (111) were identified and compared with previously-described luminescent bacteria; i.e.,Beneckea (Vibrio) harveyi, Photobacterium (V.) fischeri, P. phosphoreum, andP. leiognathi. All species were isolated but distinct seasonal differences were noted.P. (V.) fischeri andB. (V.) harveyi represented 93% of the luminous population on an annual basis. Only the former was found during the period December through March (highest count 7 per ml) whileB. (V.) harveyi was the dominant species noted between May and October (maximum count 11 per ml).P. leiognathi andP. phosphoreum were found only during July and August as 7% of the total luminous population. All isolates grew at NaCl concentrations between 6 and 30‰; none grew below 6‰     

Model-based remote sensing algorithms for particulate organic carbon (POC) in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Hydrographic data, including particulate organic carbon (POC) from the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico (NEGOM) study, were combined with remotely-sensed SeaWiFS data to estimate POC concentration using principal component analysis (PCA). The spectral radiance was extracted at each NEGOM station, digitized, and averaged. The mean value and spurious trends were removed from each spectrum. De-trended data included six wavelengths at 58 stations. The correlation between the weighting factors of the first six eigenvectors and POC concentration were applied using multiple linear regression. PCA algorithms based on the first three, four, and five modes accounted for 90, 95, and 98% of total variance and yielded significant correlations with POC with R ² = 0.89, 0.92, and 0.93. These full waveband approaches provided robust estimates of POC in various water types. Three different analyses (root mean square error, mean ratio and standard deviation) showed similar error estimates, and suggest that spectral variations in the modes defined by just the first four characteristic vectors are closely correlated with POC concentration, resulting in only negligible loss of spectral information from additional modes. The use of POC algorithms greatly increases the spatial and temporal resolution for interpreting POC cycling and can be extrapolated throughout and perhaps beyond the area of shipboard sampling.     

Seasonal abundance of atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) in relation to bottom salinity and temperature in South Carolina estuaries

During 1973 and 1974 seasonal abundance and mean total length of Atlantic croaker,Micropogonias undulatus, were investigated by otter trawl at 33 stations in South Carolina estuaries in relation to bottom salinity and temperature. Relative abundance of Atlantic croaker was measured by catch per unit effort at 3°C temperature intervals and 3‰ salinity intervals. Croaker occurred over a bottom temperature range of 9.0–31.4°C while occurring most abundantly in waters above 24.0°C. No significant correlation between size and temperature was found. Croaker were collected in salinities from 0.4 to 34.4‰. High correlations of size and salinity were evident in 1973 during winter (r=0.79), summer (r=0.82), and fall (r=0.94). In 1974, correlations were significant only during fall (r=0.76).     

Changes in interstitial water salinity of a Mississippi tidal marsh

The salinity of interstitial water (i.e., the salinity of the free soil water) was examined at 11 equidistant stations along a transect on a Mississippi tidal marsh dominated byJuncus roemerianus andSpartina cynosuroides. Changes in the nearby surface water (e.g., bay water) were reflected in the changes in interstitial water salinity. The salinity of interstitial water was usually higher, varying between 2.5 and 15.8‰ from February 1975 through January 1976, than the salinity of the nearby surface water which ranged from 0.0 to 11.5‰. Following a long period of high salinity in the bay and sound (exceeding 14‰), the salinity of the interstitial water increased to a maximum of 16.8‰ in October. The salinity increased as the distance of the sampling station from the source of the flood water increased. Mean interstitial wate salinity across the marsh studied was within 10‰ which did not seem to influence the marsh plant zonation occurring on the marsh.     

三峡水库建设对长江下游颗粒有机碳通量及碳同位素组成的影响

2008年4月至2009年4月,在南通长江干流每周采集一次表层悬浮物样品,共51个,分析了其粒度、颗粒有机碳(POC)、颗粒氮(PN)含量以及有机碳同位素(δ13Corg)组成,研究了下游干流颗粒有机碳组成的季节性变化特征.悬浮物的平均粒径在一年内变化不明显,而POC和PN含量呈现洪季缓慢减小,枯季增加的趋势;δ13C...     

Microzooplankton grazing and nitrogen excretion across a surface estuarine-coastal interface

The role of the microzooplankton community in regulating phytoplankton biomass was examined across a gradient from a river-dominated estuary to an oceanic-influenced coastal zone. Three stations located along a salinity gradient from the central region of Mobile Bay to 10 km off the coast were sampled from May 1994 to August 1995. Microzooplankton herbivory rates on phytoplankton and microzooplankton excretion of nitrogen derived from phytoplankton were estimated using the dilution technique. Microzooplankton grazing rates (range of station means=0.57–1.10 d⁻¹) and phytoplankton growth rates (0.70–1.62 d⁻¹) both increased across the salinity gradient from the bay station to the offshore station. However, the percent of primary production grazed per day was highest at the bay station (mean=83%) and decreased to a low at the offshore station (mean=64%). Excretion of phytoplankton-derived nitrogen by the microzooplankton was greatest at the bay and bay mouth stations. Excreted nitrogen could potentially supply 39%, 29%, and 20% of phytoplankton nitrogen demand at the bay, bay mouth, and offshore stations, respectively. These results support the idea that herbivorous microzooplankton are important in mediating nitrogen flow to both lower and higher trophic levels. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY085 00012     

The ichthyofauna and abiotic hydrological environment of the Ria de Aveiro,Portugal

The abiotic hydrological environment and the community dynamics of the fish fauna were investigated in the Ria de Aveiro, an estuarine coastal lagoon system (43 km²), which has both marine and fluvial influences. Abiotic hydrological and fish community parameters were recorded routinely during 12 months at ten stations. Temperature ranged between 9.5°C and 26.0°C, salinity between 0.0‰ and 32.0‰, dissolved oxygen between 0.8 mg 1^?1 and 15.4 mg 1^?1, pH between 6.1 and 9.4, and transparency between 4.4% and 100.0%. No significant differences were observed in temperature and dissolved oxygen among stations, or in seasonal variation in transparency. Nineteen thousand thirty-one fish specimens comprising 55 species were sampled. Abundance, biomass, and species richness were highest in summer and late winter at stations near the lagoon entrance. Sedentary species were most numerous, marine migratory species had the highest biomass, and the category “occasional species” had the highest number of species. Atherinidae, Mugilidae, and Gobiidae were the most important families. Eight species represented about 80% of the total fish abundance and biomass but only six species occurred in all the months and at all the stations. It was concluded that the Ria de Aveiro, with high seasonal and spatial abiotic variation, has a very rich and representative fish community compared with temperate and tropical estuaries and estuarine coastal lagoons around the world.     

Aeration,nitrogen and salinity as determinants of Spartina alterniflora Loisel. Growth response

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the effects of salinity, nitrogen, and aeration on the growth of Spartina alterniflora Loisel. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement of treatments with salt marsh substrate at three salinity levels (15, 30, 45‰), at two nitrogen levels (0 and 168 kg/ha) and at two aeration levels (zero and oxygen saturation). The maximum biomass was found in the low salinity, nitrogen enhanced, aerated treatment which had 11 times more biomass than the highest (45‰) salinity, nitrogen poor, unaerated treatment. the average effect of nitrogen over the three salinity levels was a 2.01, 1.47, 1.25, and 1.52 times increase in aerial biomass, density, height, and belowground biomass of the plants, respectively. The main effect of aeration was a 2.49, 2.01, 1.57, and 1.85 times increase in the same variables. The combination effect of aeration and nitrogen additions enhanced biomass by 453%. An increase in salinity from 15‰ to 45‰ decreased biomass, density, height and belowground biomass of S. alterniflora by 66, 53, 38, and 61%, respectively. The effect of salinity was more pronounced between 30 and 45‰ than it was between 15 and 30‰. N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and S concentrations in the aerial living biomass were also examined. There was no evidence to suggest that elemental concentrations (on a per gram basis) were consistently correlated with increased or decreased growth. In relation to salinity, correlations between growth and elemental concentrations were negative while for nitrogen enhanced and/or aerated systems, the correlations were positive.     

Stable carbon isotopic evidence for sources of particulate organic carbon found in sea foam

Particulate organic carbon found in sea foam and water samples from North Inlet, South Carolina, were examined for their δ¹³C isotopic composition. Sea foam particulate organic carbon (POC) δ¹³C values ranged from ?20.4 to ?24.6‰ (mean=?22.3‰) and water POC δ¹³C values ranged from ?21.0 to ?28.5‰ (mean= ?24.4‰). Temporal trends in sea foam and water POC indicate that δ¹³C values for both POC components are depleted in the colder months and enriched in the warmer months. Measurement of δ¹³C from potential sources for organic matter found in sea foam, combined with data on macroalgae productivity and phytoplankton biomass, indicates that macroalgae are the principal source of POC for sea foam in the colder months. In the warmer months, phytoplankton appear to be more important contributors. The observed water POC δ¹³C values were always depleted relative to foam POC δ¹³C values. This isotopic difference may result from chemical segregation during sea foam formation or may reflect DOC δ¹³C values from terrestrial origins.     

The distribution and production of the hard clam,Mercenaria mercenaria,in Wassaw Sound,Georgia

Estuaries and Coasts - Hard clams,Mercenaria mercenaria, occurred in four intertidal habitats in the outer, high salinity (18‰) region of Wassaw Sound, Georgia: small feeder creeks $$(\bar x...     

Dissolved and particulate organic carbon in the North Inlet estuary,South Carolina: What controls their concentrations?

Water samples have been taken daily at 1030 EST from three locations within North Inlet (South Carolina) since June of 1980 in order to evaluate the tidal, seasonal, and eventually annual variability in carbon concentrations within this system and generate hypotheses explaining the observed trends. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations within North Inlet (South Carolina) vary inversely with salinity (r²=0.65), suggesting the main source of DOC in North Inlet is freshwater entering from the adjacent forested watershed. This assertion is supported by an observed decrease of tidal water salinity with the onset of streamflow. DOC variability is also associated with (1) groundwater advection and/or runoff and seepage from the marsh surface; (2) removal from tidal water via either physical sorption or biological uptake; (3) sampling location; and (4) origin of water mass. Particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations vary seasonally, higher values found during the summer. POC variability is controlled by a series of physical and biological factors. Evidence suggests that in the smaller tidal creeks, POC concentrations are associated with (1) rain events scouring the marsh surface, (2) phytoplankton concentrations varying as a function of tidal stage, and (3) removal of particulate material from the marsh surface on the ebb tide. In the larger tidal creeks tidal water velocity appears to be the main factor influencing POC values.     

Distribution and abundance of ichthyoplankton in the Manicouagan River estuary,a tributary of the lower St. Lawrence estuary

The species composition and relative abundance of ichthyoplankton were investigated during summer 1986 at four stations along the salinity gradient in the Manicouagan River estuary, a tributary of the lower St. Lawrence estuary. Physical characteristics of water masses indicated the presence of a strong saline front (>10‰ per km) delineating the freshwater and marine section of the Manicouagan estuary. The estuary supports a depauperate ichthyoplankton community, including four species of pelagic fish eggs and eight species of fish larvae. Species richness increased with salinity. The ichthyoplankton fauna can be divided into two distinct groups: freshwater and marine. These two groups result initially from spawning preferences exhibited by the different species abundance of freshwater larvae was maximal at the head of the estuary and marine larvae were most abundant at the most saline station. The length frequency distribution suggests that marine larvae are not effectively retained within the estuary. The Manicouagan estuary cannot be considered as a major spawning site nor an important nursery zone for any fish found in this area.     

Seasonal variation of the stable isotopic compositions of coastal marine plankton from Woods Hole,Massachusetts and Georges Bank

A study of the isotopic composition of plankton from Woods Hole Harbor was conducted to investigate seasonal variation in carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in a shallow coastal environment. Stable isotopic ratios of carbon and nitrogen both showed temporal variation on the scale of weeks to months, with heaviest (most positive) values in summer to fall for both isotopes. Particulate organic matter (POM) δ¹³C values were highest (?19‰ to ?21‰) in August to November and lower (?21‰ to ?25‰) at other times of the year, while δ¹³N-POM values were highest (9.5‰ to 12‰) in March to September and lower (7.5‰ to 9.5‰) at other times of the year. Stable isotopic values were significantly correlated with temperature, DI¹³C, and C∶N ratios, but not with [DIC], [POC], [PN], [chlorophyll], or the taxonomic composition of the phytoplankton. There was no direct evidence of allochthonous inputs of carbon and nitrogen to the system. Woods Hole δ¹³C values were virtually identical to Georges Bank plankton values; similar POC: Chlorophyll and C∶N ratios in the two systems further suggest that Woods Hole Harbor is principally a marine system. The high δ¹³C values of net plankton (>20 μm) during summer and early fall are consistent with a smaller degree of photosynthetic isotopic fractionation at that time, related to temperature and/or [CO_2(aq)]. This pattern was not seen, however, in total POM. Plankton δ¹³N values were higher in Woods Hole Harbor than on Georges Bank, especially during warmer periods, possibly due to high rates of nitrification and organic matter recycling in Woods Hole waters. Relatively wide ranges of stable isotopic values from both Woods Hole Harbor and Georges Bank suggest that seasonality should be considered when attempting to establish endmember C and N isotopic values for temperate marine plankton. Preliminary results from size-fractionated samples suggest that cyanobacteria may fractionate carbon isotopes to a greater degree than net phytoplankton.     

Seagrass die-off in Florida Bay: Long-term trends in abundance and growth of turtle grass,Thalassia testudinum

Beginning in late 1987 Florida Bay experienced a large and unprecedented die-off ofThalassia testudinum. The die-off occurred only in stands of denseT. testudinum. We initiated an experimental monitoring effort in 1989 to attempt to ascertain the cause of this die-off phenomenon. From 1989 to 1995 the abundance and productivity ofT. testudinum was measured at five stations associated with the seagrass die-off and three stations where no die-off had occurred (including one on the seaside of Key Largo, outside of Florida Bay). Early in the study the salinity was very high, exceeding 46 psu, but it has decreased to 29–38 psu in recent years. Seagrass standing crop and either short-shoot density or mass per short shoot declined at nearly all stations, including the stations without die-off (unaffected stations). Over the course of the study, areal productivity declined at three die-off stations; but mass-specific productivity increased at all die-off stations and one unaffected station. Seasonality was pronounced; detrended standardized residuals showed responses for all of the seagrass parameters to be greater than the yearly mean in spring and summer and less than the mean in fall and winter. Detrended residuals also showed decreased productivity to be correlated with increased salinities in the summer despite a long-term record of declining salinities. We propose a conceptual model of the seagrass die-off phenomenon. We document that salinity does contribute to stress onT. testudinum in Florida Bay, but salinity is believed to be only one contributing factor to the loss of seagrasses. The documented increase in the mass-specific productivity ofT. testudinum over the period 1989–1995 suggests seagrasses are growing rapidly in Florida Bay by 1995; we predict that the loss ofT. testudinum may be slowing down and that recovery is possible.     

Responses of tidal creek macrobenthic communities to the effects of watershed development

This study examined the effects of watershed development on macrobenthic communities in tidal creeks of Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, U.S. Two types of creeks were evaluated: upland creeks which drained watersheds consisting of at least 15% terrestrial land cover, and salt marsh creeks which drained no upland habitat (i.e., only intertidal habitat). Samples of macrobenthic organisms were taken along the longitudinal axis of twenty-three primary (first order) tidal creeks. Water and sediment quality data were also collected including measurements of dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, sediment characteristics, and toxic chemicals in the creek sediments. Hypoxic conditions occurred more than 15% of the time in both reference and developed creeks and were a natural attribute of these systems. The most severe and frequent hypoxia occurred in impacted salt marsh creeks. Salinity fluctuations were the greatest in developed upland creeks and salinity range was identified as a potentially reliable indicator of the degree to which watershed development has altered hydrodynamic processes. The creeks draining urban and industrial watersheds were degraded environments characterized by watersheds with high (>50%) levels of impervious surface, broad fluctuations in salinity, severe hypoxia, and potentially toxic levels of chemicals in the sediment. These creeks had low macrobenthic diversity and abundance and were numerically dominated by the oligochaeteMonopylephorus rubroniveus in mud sediments, and the polychaeteLaeoreis culveri in sand sediments. Suburban watersheds had 15–35% impervious surface and creeks draining them were exposed to frequent hypoxia and broad salinity fluctuations. The levels of chemical contaminants in sediments of suburban and impacted salt marsh creeks were generally not different from the levels in reference creeks. Macrobenthic diversity and abundance were higher for suburban and impacted salt marsh creeks than for urban and industrial creeks. However, suburban and salt marsh impacted creeks were numerically dominated by a few pollution indicative species including the oligochaetesM. rubroniveus andTubificoides brownae and the polychaeteL. culveri. These creeks appear to be exhibiting early signs of degradation (e.g., a simplified food web). Two promising community-level macrobenthic metrics for assessing environmental quality were identified: the proportional abundance of pollution indicative taxa, and the proportional abundance of pollution sensitive taxa. These indicators were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with the salinity range, the level of chemical contaminants in sediments, and amount of impervious surface in the watershed.     

Nekton variations in tributaries along a hydrologically modified North Carolina estuary

Structure and temporal variability in nekton communities were examined for four small brackish creeks along a major tributary (Adams Creek) of the Neuse River estuary, North Carolina during May–September 1994. An inverse salinity gradient was observed along Adams Creek with highest values in the most upstream creek due to a manmade channel connecting the creek to the Newport River estuary. The nekton communities of the four tributaries were similar with some differences in relative abundance of individual species and timing of recruitment and migrations. Bay anchovies (67%), spot (19%), and brown shrimp (6%) were the most abundant species, with the top ten species accounting for 98% of the total catch. The transport of high salinity water (and presumably nekton larvae) into the headwaters of Adams Creek via the canal appeared to have a strong influence on the nekton community; the nekton community present in the Adams Creek system resembled communities in mesohaline waters closer to the outer banks rather than those in an adjacent creek along the Neuse River estuary (South River estuary). Cluster analysis indicated nekton in the creeks could be grouped into early and late season assemblages. Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that neither the creeks nor the dominant species were strongly related to any measured environmental variables indicating habitat suitability was similar regardless of the differences in watershed activities among the four creeks.     

白龙江干流代表站径流变化特征及未来趋势预测

白龙江引水工程被列入国家确定的172项重大水利工程项目之一,分析研究白龙江干流代表站径流变化特征并进行未来趋势预测,为实施白龙江引水工程提供技术支撑。对白龙江干流白云、舟曲、武都、碧口4个代表站1956~2013年的实测径流系列资料进行分析,采用周期波均值外延叠加模型、谐波分析模型和逐步回归分析模型组合形成的加法模型对代表站未来径流变化趋势进行分析预测。结果表明:(1)该4站9月份多年平均流量占全年径流量比例最大,主汛期6~9月多年平均流量占全年径流量比例达到50%左右。(2)4个水文站多年径流量变化趋势呈现出逐渐缓慢减少的趋势,上游减少的幅度比下游小。(3)预测2015、2020、2025年年径流量的结果是:白云水文站均小于多年平均值,武都水文站均大于多年均值,舟曲和碧口水文站在多年均值上下浮动。     

Nitrogen Stable Isotopes of Macrophytes Assess Stormwater Nitrogen Inputs to an Urbanized Estuary

The ¹⁵N composition of seagrass and benthic macroalgae from shallow waters of Sarasota Bay was measured to determine if stable N isotopes can be used to trace stormwater N into macrophyte production within an urbanized estuary. Results show isotopically enriched macroalgae at the landward stations near creeks and bayous in the central Bay and in the southern portion of the Bay. A known sewage outfall at Whitaker Bayou resulted in δ ¹⁵NO₃ values from 0 to +9‰. Isotopically enriched NH₄ values in Phillippi Creek (+10 to +17‰) were similar to the stormwater ¹⁵NH₄ values from the watershed (+7 to +18‰). Enriched N sources supported a significant portion of macroalgae N demands in the southern reaches of the Bay while isotopically depleted N sources (i.e., atmospheric deposition and/or fertilizers) appear to be more important for macroalgae in the northern portion of the Bay. Macroalgae were typically more enriched than seagrass and appear to be better indicators of anthropogenic loadings near creeks and bayous that receive large volumes of stormwater and other anthropogenic N sources. Historically, studies have used enriched ¹⁵N in macrophytes to infer wastewater influences. This study shows that stormwater N inputs need to be considered in nitrogen budgets for aquatic systems that show anthropogenic ¹⁵N enrichment.     

长江干流颗粒有机碳及其同位素组成的季节性输送特征

2007年夏季和冬季对长江干流悬浮物进行了季节性采样,系统分析了悬浮物颗粒有机碳含量及稳定碳同位素的组成,研究了其空间分布以及季节变化特征。结果显示,长江干流夏季颗粒有机碳含量在0．4％～1．3％,冬季含量在0．7%-2．2％。冬季和夏季颗粒有机碳平均δ^13C值分别为-24．74‰和～24．83‰,季节性差异不大,在...