Apparent redox potential discontinuity (aRPD) depth as a relative measure of sediment oxygen content and habitat quality

As hypoxic conditions spread in our oceans, indices that quickly and efficiently assess oxygen content in sediment pore water, and habitat quality are increasingly becoming desirable. Depth to the appa...     

Influence of the biomass content in sediment on the sediment nutrient flux for a pulsed organic load

A laboratory study was carried out to investigate the influence of the biomass content in the sediment on the rate of diagenesis of particulate organic materials (POM) and the consequent sediment oxygen demand (SOD) and nutrient fluxes. Fish food pellets were loaded into the sediment to simulate a sudden POM input. Three types of sediments with different biomass contents were tested, including a raw marine sediment, the marine sediment after one month of cultivation and an artificial sediment of sand and clay without any biomass. There was little difference in organic flux from the three different sediments. However, compared to the artificial sediment, the marine sediments had much higher SOD and ammonia flux. A mathematical model also has been developed for the SOD dynamics and nutrient fluxes. Both the experimental and simulation results indicate the important role of the biomass in the sediment in POM diagenesis, SOD and nutrient fluxes.     

Development of a fish-based multimetric index to assess the ecological quality of marine habitats: the Marine Fish Community Index

In this paper the Marine Fish Community Index (MFCI) for the assessment of ecological status of marine environment is proposed. The MFCI was divided into 4 typologies: Rocky subtidal; shallow, intermediate and deep soft-bottoms. Based on the typical community associated to each typology and the DPSIR analysis performed, a set of metrics were selected and tested through a multiple correlation matrix (Pearson’s coefficient) and the core ones included in the index. The MFCI was applied in all typologies and the scores obtained with each metric were analyzed. In order to test the robustness of the MFCI the final ecological value of each zone was recalculated by removing successively one metric at a time. The MFCI showed a sensitive and robust response in the ecological status assessment. Since it incorporates both functional and structural community information, the MFCI can be useful in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive as well as in other contexts of conservation and sustainable management of the marine environment.     

Identification of potential subsidence related to pumping in the Almería basin (SE Spain)

Ground subsidence of detrital deposits in the Almería basin (SE Spain) was studied using the remote sensing technique of Differential Interferometry SAR (DInSAR). This basin is one of the most arid in Europe, receiving an average rainfall of 250 mm per year. Over the last 60 years the region has experienced an enormous agricultural and urban expansion, whose water demand has been largely supplied from groundwater, leading to the current situation of overexploitation of water resources. This paper outlines the likely relationship between groundwater abstraction and subsidence. To this end, 34 ERS and Envisat images, taken between 2003 and 2009, were analysed to estimate ground surface deformations, and hence, compared with water table variations measured in a number of piezometers in the basin. The analysis shows a clear parallelism between the variations in piezometric level and deformation of the ground surface. In addition, the zones of greatest subsidence coincide with those areas where groundwater abstractions are concentrated. Subsidence over the examined period varies from 10 to 30 mm, with extreme values as high as 50 mm, which translates to a rate of between 1·7 and 5 mm/year, reaching maximum rates of 8 mm/year at some points. Given such subsidence rates, damage to urban infrastructures are, for the moment, incipient. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

太湖有色可溶性有机物(CDOM)对COD及BOD5的指示意义

化学需氧量(COD)、五日生化需氧量(BOD_5)及溶解性有机碳(DOC)是指示湖泊水质的重要指标,然而上述指标测定通常耗费大量时间、试剂及人力物力且排放大量有害废液.有色可溶性有机物(CDOM)是溶解性有机物(DOM)中可以强烈吸收光谱中的紫外光和可见光的部分,数据测定耗时短、方便快捷,且样品处理过程环境友好,能在很大程度上反映湖泊水质.本研究基于2016年2、5和8月在太湖均匀布设的32个采样点进行样品采集,运用光谱吸收与三维荧光-平行因子分析(EEMs-PARAFAC)探究太湖CDOM的光谱吸收和荧光组分,探讨CDOM光谱指标对湖泊BOD_5、COD及DOC浓度等湖泊环境质量指标的可替代性.结果表明:(1)运用EEMs-PARAFAC方法解析出3种荧光组分:类腐殖酸C1、类酪氨酸C2和类色氨酸C3.(2) COD和BOD_5和DOC在空间上呈现出相似的分布趋势,不同水期的最高值均出现在竺山湾和梅梁湾,由西北湖区至中部敞水区、东南湖湾递减.(3)在不同水期,COD、BOD_5、DOC浓度和C1组分均表现为丰水期极显著大于枯水期和平水期,a_(254)在丰、平、枯水期间无显著性差异,最大值出现在丰水期;C2与C3组分均在枯水期和平水期极显著大于丰水期.(4)在不同水文时期,COD、BOD_5和DOC浓度均与a_(254)、类腐殖酸C1呈显著正相关,丰水期太湖COD、BOD_5和DOC浓度与CDOM光谱指标的线性相关性要优于枯水期和平水期.(5) CDOM光谱指标在不同水文时期均能很好地替代COD、BOD_5和DOC等作为反映太湖水体中有机物污染程度及湖泊水质的指标.