Environmental hypoxia as a metabolic constraint on fish: the case of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua

Hypoxia is known to provoke a wide range of effects on aquatic animals. Here we use laboratory and field data on Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, to illustrate that many of these responses can be explained within the metabolic scope (MS) framework, i.e. taking into account the directive and limiting effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the ability of animals to acquire energy for growth and activity. A MS model for cod shows that scope for activity (swimming, feeding, etc.) is proportional to DO and becomes nil, jeopardising survival, when DO is < approximately 20% air saturation. Laboratory studies have confirmed this lethal threshold and demonstrated that growth and food ingestion were significantly reduced below 70% sat. This loss of appetite has been linked to a reduction of the peak value and an increase in duration of postprandial metabolism, in agreement with the MS model. Dwindling MS during hypoxia imposes an upper limit to swimming performance. Cod may also opt to reduce spontaneous swimming activity to spare oxygen for other activities such as digestion. In the Kattegat, the Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, eastern Canada, cod completely avoid waters where their MS is near zero. Furthermore, cod density increases exponentially with DO up to approximately 70% sat in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Although hypoxia results in other direct and indirect effects as well, the MS framework allows modelling of many of the responses to hypoxia for individual cod that ought to be reflected at the population and community levels. The MS framework is also useful to compare species responses. We show that the impact of hypoxia on MS is similar, when expressed as a proportion of MS in normoxia, in cod, European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), the common sole (Solea solea) and turbot (Psetta maxima). Data are required for other species to evaluate how general these findings are.     

Climate induced temperature effects on growth performance, fecundity and recruitment in marine fish: developing a hypothesis for cause and effect relationships in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and common eelpout (Zoarces viviparus)

Effects of global warming on animal distribution and performance become visible in many marine ecosystems. The present study was designed to develop a concept for a cause and effect understanding with respect to temperature changes and to explain ecological findings based on physiological processes. The concept is based on a wide comparison of invertebrate and fish species with a special focus on recent data obtained in two model species of fish. These fish species are both characterized by northern and southern distribution limits in the North Atlantic: eelpout (Zoarces viviparus), as a typical non-migrating inhabitant of the coastal zone and the cod (Gadus morhua), as a typical inhabitant of the continental shelf with a high importance for fisheries.Mathematical modelling demonstrates a clear significant correlation between climate induced temperature fluctuations and the recruitment of cod stocks. Growth performance in cod is optimal at temperatures close to 10°C, regardless of the population investigated in a latitudinal cline. However, temperature specific growth rates decrease at higher latitudes. Also, fecundity is less in White Sea than in North and Baltic Sea cod or eelpout populations. These findings suggest that a cold-induced shift in energy budget occurs which is unfavorable for growth performance and fecundity. Thermal tolerance limits shift depending on latitude and are characterized by oxygen limitation at both low or high temperatures. Oxygen supply to tissues is optimized at low temperature by a shift in hemoglobin isoforms and oxygen binding properties to lower affinities and higher unloading potential. Protective stimulation of heat shock protein synthesis was not observed.According to a recent model of thermal tolerance the downward shift of tolerance limits during cold adaptation is associated with rising mitochondrial densities and, thus, aerobic capacity and performance in the cold, especially in eurythermal species. At the same time the costs of mitochondrial maintenance reflected by mitochondrial proton leakage should rise leaving a lower energy fraction for growth and reproduction. The preliminary conclusion can be drawn that warming will cause a northern shift of distribution limits for both species with a rise in growth performance and fecundity larger than expected from the Q₁₀ effect in the north and lower growth or even extinction of the species in the south. Such a shift may heavily affect fishing activities in the North Sea.     

Effect of prolonged hypoxia on food consumption, respiration, growth and reproduction in marine scavenging gastropod Nassarius festivus

The effects of prolonged exposure to reduced oxygen levels (3.0 and 1.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹) on marine scavenging gastropods Nassarius festivus were studied for 8 weeks. The percentages of individuals engaged in feeding and amount of food consumed were reduced as oxygen level decreased; absorption efficiency, however, did not vary significantly with oxygen level. Oxygen consumption rates and specific oxygen consumption rates were lower at reduced oxygen levels. Reproduction occurred at all oxygen levels with less egg capsules being produced at lower oxygen levels. Egg size and number of eggs per capsule, however, were not significantly affected by oxygen level. The increase in shell length was 12%, 6% and 5% at 6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹ (normoxia), 3.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹ and 1.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the amount of energy allocated to growth and reproduction decreased at reduced oxygen levels with values obtained at 3.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹ and 1.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹ being 48% and 70% lower than those at 6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹. At all oxygen levels, most of the accumulated energy was allocated to shell growth and reproduction, and the amount allocated to somatic growth was relatively insignificant. The reduction in energy allocated to reproduction was greater than that to shell growth as the oxygen level was reduced, indicating a strategic energy allocation of marine scavengers under stressful conditions to enhance survival.     

The pelagic community of a gravel pit lake: Significance of Coleps hirtus viridis (Prostomatida) and its role as a scavenger

Coleps hirtus viridis was the dominant species of the planktonic ciliate community of Lake Fühlinger See (Germany) during the study in 1999 and 2000. Total ciliate densities ranged from 120 to 42,000 ind. l⁻¹ in 1999 and up to 8,000 ind. l⁻¹ in 2000. Coleps contributed up to 98% to both total ciliate abundance and biomass and made up an average of 64% of the total ciliate biomass. Oligotrichs (Rimostrombidium, Strobilidium) dominated the epilimnetic zone, whereas peritrich ciliates (Pelagovorticella, Vorticella) were predominantly located in the hypolimnion. The population maximum of Coleps changed locations from the epilimnion in early summer to the hypolimnion (up to 40,000 ind. l⁻¹) during stratification. High growth rates in the hypolimnion, presence of endosymbiontic algae and the ability to ingest detritus seem to be important for the success.Growth rates of Coleps in June were determined by Landry-Hassett dilution experiments in both the epilimnion and the hypolimnion. The instantaneous growth rates were similar in both layers (0.6 d⁻¹), but a distinctly higher instantaneous mortality was estimated for the epilimnion. These high loss rates may be due to grazing pressure by cladocerans.The significance of the histophagous feeding of Coleps was evaluated through an experiment using killed zooplankton. Parts of Daphnia magna were incorporated at rates of about 1,100 μm³ ind.⁻¹ h⁻¹ by Coleps without endosymbiotic algae and at rates of 500 μm³ ind.⁻¹ h⁻¹ by Coleps with endosymbionts. These high feeding rates support the conclusion that Coleps can use dead organic matter as an additional food source.     

铁对拟柱孢藻(Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii)和角星鼓藻(Staurastrum spp.)季节动态和生长的影响——以广东大沙河水库为例

拟柱孢藻（Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii）和角星鼓藻（Staurastrum spp.）是热带亚热带浮游植物群落中的常见优势种类,为了解铁对2种浮游植物季节动态和生长的影响,本文通过对典型热带水库的野外调查,分析铁与2种藻生物量和相对生物量的季节动态的关系,并通过室内实验分别以无机磷（KH₂PO₄）和有机磷（C₆H₁₃O₉P）为磷源,比较3种铁浓度（0.029、0.29和0.689 mg/L）下拟柱孢藻（C.raciborskii,N8）和角星鼓藻（Staurastrum sp.,FACHB-1449）的比生长速率、铁载体产量和碱性磷酸酶活性的差异.结果显示,拟柱孢藻和角星鼓藻是浮游植物群落的主要优势种类,两者的生物量最大占到总生物量的82%以上;两者对环境变量响应的区别主要体现在对溶解性铁浓度变化的响应差异上,拟柱孢藻生物量与溶解性铁有显著的线性回归关系,但角星鼓藻的生物量与铁没有显著线性回归关系.室内实验中,拟柱孢藻N8的比生长速率在无机磷源铁浓度为0.689 mg/L条件下最大,为0.098±0.01 d^-1,2种磷源条件下比生长速率均随铁浓度降低而显著降低,6个实验组均检到铁载体：6个实验组角星鼓藻FACHB-1449的比生长速率没有明显差异,平均为0.079±0.001 d^-1,均未检出铁载体,磷源和铁浓度对其比生长速率的影响不显著;有机磷源条件下,拟柱孢藻N8实验组碱性磷酸酶活性均显著高于角星鼓藻FACHB-1449实验组,拟柱孢藻N8实验组酶活性随铁浓度降低而显著降低,但角星鼓藻FACHB-1449各实验组的碱性磷酸酶活性无明显差异.以上结果表明,水体中溶解性铁的供应对拟柱孢藻的种群动态和优势有重要作用,与角星鼓藻相比,拟柱孢藻的生长更易受到铁的限制,尤其在无机磷缺乏、磷源主要以有机磷形式供应时,铁对拟柱孢藻生长的限制作用增强.     

The trophic ecology of arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) in Ellidavatn, a small lake in Southwest Iceland

In the lake Ellidavatn, southwest Iceland, fish samples were collected with gillnets of one mesh-size once or twice a month for two years. Stomach samples of 961 Arctic char and 429 brown trout were analysed. The annual diet of char consisted of chironomid larvae (31%), cladocerans Eurycercus lamellatus (19%), bivalves Pisidium spp. (16%), water snails Lymnaea peregra (15%), chironomid pupae (8%) and char eggs (5%) and that of trout consisted of sticklebacks (76%), salmonids (7%) and L. peregra (6%). The average percentage of indigestible plant remains and gravel in the stomach content was much higher for the char (14%) than trout (3%). There were large seasonal changes in the diet of char: char eggs were consumed in autumn, chironomid larvae mostly from autumn to spring, chironomid pupae in summer and E. lamellatus from summer to autumn. No seasonal changes in the diet of trout were seen. The diet overlap of char and trout was very low, usually about 10%, reaching a maximum of about 30% in late summer 1976 when the common diet was mainly E. lamellatus and chironomid pupae. The resource partitioning in Ellidavatn indicates that char are better adapted to preying on small benthic invertebrates than piscivorous trout. The segregation in the diet of the two species indicated competition for restricted food supply, which was also consistent with slow growth and low condition factor of char (0.8–1.0) and trout (1.0) in Ellidavatn. The prey of trout were two orders of magnitude larger than the prey of char which may explain why adult char grew more slowly (2 cm y⁻¹) than adult trout (4 cm y⁻¹) and reached sexual maturity at a smaller size (30 cm) than trout (40 cm).     

The Arctic is no longer put on ice: Evaluation of Polar cod (Boreogadussaida) as a monitoring species of oil pollution in cold waters

The withdrawing Arctic ice edge will facilitate future sea transport and exploration activities in the area, which calls for the establishment of relevant cold water monitoring species. The present study presents first results of field baseline levels for core oil pollution biomarkers in Polar cod (Boreogadussaida) sampled from pristine, Arctic waters. Furthermore, biomarker response levels were characterized in controlled laboratory exposure experiments running over 2 weeks. Fish exposed to a simulated petrogenic spill (1 ppm dispersed, crude oil) exhibited elevated hepatic EROD activity, bile PAH-metabolites, and hepatic DNA-adducts, whereas male individuals exposed to simulated produced water (30 ppb nonylphenol) exhibited a strong induction of plasma vitellogenin. In conclusion, the results demonstrated low and robust biomarker baseline levels that were clearly different from exposure responses. In combination with its high abundance and circumpolar distribution, the Polar cod seems well qualified for oil pollution monitoring in Arctic waters.     

The use of fish parasites as biological indicators of anthropogenic influences in coral-reef lagoons: a case study of Apogonidae parasites in New-Caledonia

Parasite species have been widely used as fish host migration tag or as indicators of local pollution. In this paper our approach is to consider the entire parasite community as a biological indicator of the fish environmental conditions. Seven fish species belonging to the Apogonidae, Apogon bandanensis, A. cookii, A. doderleini, A. norfolkensis, A. trimaculatus, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus and Fowleria variegata, were sampled on six stations in two bays (Grand-Rade and Sainte-Marie) around Nouméa (New-Caledonia). The two bays are submitted to urban wastewater inputs alone or combined with additional industrial inputs which influences decrease from the inner part to the entrance of each bay. A total of 592 fish were dissected for macro parasite examination. Parasites were grouped according to their taxonomical rank and development stage for the analysis. We found an inconsistent effect of the confinement between the two bays, revealing that the parasite community is not the same in the two bays. Moreover, the encysted metacercariae found in the pericardic cavity were found to be significant indicators of the specific anthropogenically impacted environmental conditions prevailing in the inner parts of the two bays. Other parasite taxa were found to be significant indicators of specific environmental conditions in one or two stations among the six sampled. Results on parasite specificity and biological life cycle of the parasite taxa found in sampled Apogonid were further compared with environmental parameters.     

干旱区湖泊沉积物腐殖化度的古气候指示意义——以新疆巴里坤湖为例

腐殖质具有对气候环境变化响应敏感的特点,已经展示出了作为古气候演变研究载体的重要潜力和优势,当前,腐殖化度对气候环境变化指示意义的研究主要应用于泥炭沉积上,而对于湖泊沉积物中腐殖化度气候环境变化的研究,至今尚未见到报道,根据新疆东疆北部巴里坤湖湖泊沉积物腐殖化度的分析,同时结合年代学、有机质含量、总有机碳、自生碳酸盐δ13C、δ18O的分析结果,认为该湖泊沉积物中腐殖化度可以较为敏感地反映气候环境变化的相关消息,较高的腐殖化度,指示气候相对湿润,而较低的腐殖化度值,指示气候相对干燥,在此基础上,结合多指标变化,初步划分了巴里坤湖地区近9.4cal kaBP以来经历了干(9.4-7.5cal kaBP)-湿(7.5-5.8cal kaBP)-干(5.8-3.0 cal kaBP)-湿(3.0-1.0cal kaBP)-干(1.0-Ocal kaBP)五个阶段.     

Okadaic acid, a causative toxin of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, in green-lipped mussels Perna viridis from Hong Kong fish culture zones: Method development and monitoring

Green-lipped mussels (Perna viridis) were collected from seven fish culture zones (FCZs) in Hong Kong and analyzed for okadaic acid (OA). A conventional HPLC method was modified by incorporating a proteinase K digestion step. Results suggest that a higher recovery (2.5 times higher) of OA was obtained from spiked samples after the addition of 1.08 mg proteinase K in comparison with samples incubated without the proteolytic enzyme. For the hepatopancreas (HP) of individual field-collected mussels, the additional digestion step can enhance OA extraction by 3.1 times. Spatial and temporal variations in OA concentrations in the mussels from various FCZs were investigated. The highest concentration of OA in mussel HP samples was 1164.9 ng/g HP wet wt. With respect to OA concentrations in whole mussel tissues from seven sites and four seasonal samplings, the concentrations were between 70.0 and 131.0 ng/g wet wt., which did not exceed the generally recognized international regulatory criteria (>200 ng/g) for OA.     

基于微动H/V谱比法的土石分界面探测研究——以济南中心城区为例

土石分界面对城市抗震设防和地下工程建设具有重要意义.城市中复杂的干扰限制了常规地球物理勘探方法的使用,本文选用环境友好且抗干扰能力强的微动H/V谱比法对济南中心城区的土石分界面展开研究.在济南中心城区开展三分量微动测量,得到了400多个测点的微动数据,计算了对应的H/V谱比曲线.将得到的H/V曲线划分成单峰、宽峰、双峰和无峰四种类型,分析了不同类型曲线与地质结构的关系.根据基岩性质不同,将研究区的基岩划分为灰岩和岩浆岩两种类型,总结出了基岩为灰岩时的深度-频率关系式,同时发现当基岩为岩浆岩时无法得到可靠的关系式.根据关系式计算得到了济南部分测线的土石分界面深度分布,另外,关系式的计算结果与钻孔资料十分吻合,能满足工程探测的精度要求.本方法为在城市强干扰环境中确定土石分界面深度提供了快速准确的解决方案.     

浮游绿藻对沉水植物苦草生长的抑制作用

水体中氧化还原电位的变化会对藻类生长和竞争产生直接或间接的影响.本文采用单种培养和混合培养的方式,研究了在铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)与斜生栅藻(Scenedesmus obliquus)竞争生长过程中氧化还原电位降低对铜绿微囊藻优势形成的影响,同时测定了铜绿微囊藻生理和形态的变化.结果表明:在单种培养条件下,铜绿微囊藻的生长速率明显高于栅藻,降低氧化还原电位对两种藻的生长速率没有影响;在混合培养条件下,两种藻的生长均受到了抑制,但降低氧化还原电位却明显提高了铜绿微囊藻的生长速率,而降低了斜生栅藻的生长速率,说明铜绿微囊藻的竞争能力得到了加强,斜生栅藻的竞争能力有所削弱;同时试验也发现在竞争生长的条件下,培养基氧化还原电位的降低诱导了铜绿微囊藻细胞体积变大,酯酶活性增强以及叶绿素荧光强度增加,这些生理参数的改变可能是铜绿微囊藻在环境中氧化还原电位降低时竞争能力得以增强的重要原因.     

鄱阳湖湿地枯丰水期转换对灰化薹草(Carex cinerascens Kükenth)枯落物分解及碳、氮、磷释放的影响

枯落物分解过程是湿地生态系统生源要素生物地球化学循环的关键环节.研究湿地枯落物分解过程是揭示湿地生态功能机理的关键.洪泛平原湿地枯水期的地下水位及丰水期的洪水淹没深度和持续时间都是湿地枯落物分解过程的重要调控因素.本研究采用分解袋法和原位观测模拟试验研究了鄱阳湖优势湿地植物薹草枯落物分解及碳、氮、磷释放对枯水期转化到丰水期的响应.利用鄱阳湖湿地洲滩的高程差选取4个水位梯度,在枯水期4个梯度分别是G-H(高地下水位带)、G-MH(中高地下水位带)、G-ML(中低地下水位带)和G-L(低地下水位带),而在丰水期这4个梯度又转变为G-H(深淹水带)、G-MH(中度深淹水带)、G-ML(中度浅淹水带)和G-L(浅淹水带).研究结果表明:无论在枯水期内还是在丰水期内,4个梯度带之间薹草枯落物干物质残留率及分解速率都具有极显著的差异性.在枯水期内,4个梯度分解速率的大小关系为:G-HG-MHG-MLG-L,在丰水期内,分解速率大小关系发生了反转,即为:G-LG-MLG-MHG-H.薹草枯落物碳、氮、磷相对归还指数表现出与干物质相似的差异性.本研究可为湿地生态系统生物地球化学循环过程对水文节律的响应研究提供数据和理论支撑,也为鄱阳湖基于水位调控下的生态系统管理提供新的认识和决策依据.     

Urban environments as habitats for rare aquatic species: The case of leeches (Euhirudinea, Clitellata) in Warsaw freshwaters

Reduced biological diversity in freshwater habitats situated in urban areas has been discussed in numerous studies. Certain municipal areas, however, can help save animal diversity of freshwater invertebrates. In the present study animals were collected or observed alive in 13 freshwater environments localized in Warsaw - the second largest city of Central Europe - in a densely populated, urban building complex close to the city, and also in suburban areas. Leech assemblages in all the environments under observation were numerically dominated by a few common species, but on the whole 19 species were collected or observed. The populations of six rare leech species inhabit both flowing and standing waters in Warsaw. Five of these species are on the Polish Red List of Species and one is strictly protected. The shallow Lake Powsinkowskie is the richest freshwater environment in the studied area in terms of species richness and rarity and also one of the richest lakes in Poland. Taxonomic diversity in the environments under study seems not to be directly related to the size of the water body or the level of degradation but rather to the habitat complexity, especially the diversity of the bottom in littoral zone. Certain freshwater habitats located inside this great urban complex still create good conditions for rare, highly specialized species.     

水文与岸滩变化对滨岸带南荻-芦苇群落适宜生境的影响——以长江武汉河段为例

建立了考虑淹没频率和淹没水深等生境因子的水动力-生境适宜度数学模型,基于三峡水库蓄水前后的长序列水文观测数据和不同时期的河道地形资料,研究了近20年来武汉河段汉口边滩南荻(Miscanthus lutarioriparius)-芦苇(Phragmites australis)群落的适宜生境变化情况,量化了不同因素的影响.结果表明:所建立的生境数值模型能较好地模拟还原南荻-芦苇群落实际空间分布情况.与2001年前的情况相比,若维持地形不变,三峡水库蓄水后的径流过程调平、年内水位变幅减小将导致群落适宜分布带向河道方向转移,且面积减小33.24%;若保持水文条件不变,岸线利用引起的地形坡度坦化将导致群落扩张,其分布面积增加69.11%;由于后者影响占主导地位,在2种因素综合影响下,南荻-芦苇群落向低滩地蔓延的同时呈现了扩张的趋势,面积增加42.53%.进一步发现,若滩地地形变化或人工建筑位于淹没频率在5%~25%区间带内,则水文变化、地形变化2种因素会对南荻-芦苇群落生境产生迭加影响,这种迭加影响甚至会大于单因素影响之和.研究表明岸滩开发等人为干扰导致滨岸滩地改变时,可能会影响滩上植被生长条件,这值得有关部门进行岸线规划、利用和进行生态保护时重点关注.     

The color of pumice: case study on a trachytic fall deposit, Meidob volcanic field, Sudan

 This paper examines the cause of color variations of trachytic pumices which are essentially uniform in chemical composition and proposes a geological model for their formation. A pyroclastic sequence of distinct subunits with brown, buff, and black pumices was deposited during the 5000-B.P. eruption of a tuff ring in the central Meidob volcanic field (Sudan). Subunits of buff pumices locally contain minor amounts of streaky pumice with pale-gray and dark-gray domains. The combined evidence of petrographic studies, chemical analyses of whole pumices and groundmass separates, electron microprobe analyses, optical spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements show that color variations of the pumice clasts are related to the size and distribution of Fe³⁺-rich oxide microcrysts. Buff pumice and light-gray domains of streaky pumice have a colorless, transparent groundmass with very few microcrysts. Dark-gray domains of streaky pumice contain abundant hematite and/or magnetite microcrysts visible in thin section within a transparent, colorless glass groundmass. The groundmass of the black pumice clasts is brown in thin section which is most likely caused by submicroscopic magnetite microcrysts. Brown pumice clasts have a mixed groundmass consisting of brown domains and domains with opaque microcrysts in transparent glass. Variations in the eruption dynamics have been inferred from lithological observations. Subunits of black pumices are related to eruption pulses with low magma discharge and high water/magma mass ratio, whereas subunits of buff pumice were deposited during eruption pulses with high magma discharge and low water/magma mass ratio. Brown pumices represent the top part of the magma body, and the initial stage of the eruption probably had a low magma discharge. Streaky pumices are interpreted as the product of syn-eruptive mixing of Fe³⁺-rich oxide microcryst-bearing magma and microcryst-free magma. Received: 3 February 1997 / Accepted: 28 July 1997     

城镇化对极端降水的影响及其贡献率研究——以太湖平原地区为例

城镇化背景下极端降水事件频发,洪涝灾害问题日益突出,探讨城镇化对极端降水的影响已成为热点与难点问题.本文以长江下游太湖平原地区为例,基于区内40个雨量站长序列的逐日资料(1976-2015年),结合城镇化下土地利用/覆被和社会经济等数据,对比分析了不同城镇化阶段极端降水相关指标的时空变化规律,并定量评估不同城镇化水平对...     

基于余震序列的地震烈度快速评估方法研究——以青海门源6.9级地震为例

地震烈度快速评估产品是破坏性地震发生后应急工作"黑箱期"内研判灾情的重要依据.文章基于青海门源6.9级地震震后2 h内的余震序列,采用最短断层距地震动衰减模型快速评估地震烈度.研究结果显示:利用震后30分钟内的余震序列得到的烈度分布可以初步判定重灾区及灾区范围,但灾区范围略小于实际调查结果;利用1.5 h内的余震序列得...     

Swelling of a lava plug associated with a Vulcanian eruption at Sakurajima Volcano,Japan, as revealed by infrasound record: case study of the eruption on January 2, 2007

In order to clarify the time relation of the expansion of a gas pocket and failure of its overlying plug of lava during Vulcanian eruptions, infrasound records and video images of the Vulcanian eruption that occurred at Sakurajima volcano on January 2, 2007 were analyzed with respect to their origin times. Weak (≤3 Pa) and slowly increasing air pressure preceded the impulsive compression phase by 0.25–0.32 s, and a longer-period rarefaction phase of infrasound waves was recognized at all microphone stations. The velocity of the compression phase was assumed to be supersonic (ca. 400 m/s) up to 850 m above the crater bottom from other recent explosions. On the other hand, the propagation velocity of the preceding weak signal was regarded to be similar to the air sound velocity because the lack of impulsiveness is unlikely to be related to the main compression phase. Therefore, the estimated origin time of the main compression phase was delayed by 0.5–0.7 s from the preceding phase. The origin time of the preceding phase coincided with the onset of the isotropic expansion process of the pressurized gas pocket, which was obtained by the waveform inversion of the explosion earthquake. In contrast, the origin time of the main impulsive phase coincided with the time when the expansion rate reached its peak. This observation suggests that the volumetric increase of the gas pocket caused swelling of the surface of the crater bottom and its subsequent failure. When the expansion velocity exceeded a threshold level, the main impulsive compression phase radiated with a high velocity by the sudden releases of the pressurized gases. The volumetric change at the source was estimated to be 280–560 m³ from the preceding phase of the infrasound. This volume change indicates that the vertical displacement of the swelling ground was on the order of 1.0 m, assuming the radius of the lava plug was ca. 10 m.     

Effects of land-use/cover change on hydrological processes using a GIS/RS-based integrated hydrological model: case study of the East River,China

Abstract

An integrated model, combining a surface energy balance system, an LAI-based interception model and a distributed monthly water balance model, was developed to predict hydrological impacts of land-use/land-cover change (LUCC) in the East River basin, China, with the aid of GIS/RS. The integrated model is a distributed model that not only accounts for spatial variations in basin terrain, rainfall and soil moisture, but also considers spatial and temporal variation of vegetation cover and evapotranspiration (ET), in particular, thus providing a powerful tool for investigating the hydrological impact of LUCC. The model was constructed using spatial data on topography, soil types and vegetation characteristics together with time series of precipitation from 170 stations in the basin. The model was calibrated and validated based on river discharge data from three stations in the basin for 21 years. The calibration and validation results suggested that the model is suitable for application in the basin. The results show that ET has a positive relationship with LAI (leaf area index), while runoff has a negative relationship with LAI in the same climatic zone that can be described by the surface energy balance and water balance equation. It was found that deforestation would cause an increase in annual runoff and a decrease in annual ET in southern China. Monthly runoff for different land-cover types was found to be inversely related to ET. Also, for most of the scenarios, and particularly for grassland and cropland, the most significant changes occurred in the rainy season, indicating that deforestation would cause a significant increase in monthly runoff in that season in the East River basin. These results are important for water resources management and environmental change monitoring.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz