Chronic food limitation of egg production in populations of copepods of the genusAcartia in the San Francisco estuary

Egg production of planktonic copepods, is commonly measured as a proxy for secondary production in population dynamics studies and for quantifying food limitation. Although limitation of copepod egg production by food quantity or quality is common in natural waters, it appears less common or severe in estuaries where food concentrations are often high. San Francisco Estuary, California, has unusually low concentrations of chlorophyll compared to other estuaries. We measured egg production rates of three species ofAcartia, with dominate the zooplankton biomass at salinity above 15 psu, on 36 occasions during 1999–2002. Egg production was determined by incubating up to 40 freshly collected individual copepods for 24 h in 140 ml of ambient water. Egg production was less than 10 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹ most of the year, but as high as 52 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹ during month-long spring phytoplankton blooms. Egg production was a saturating function of total chlorophyll concentration with a mean of 30 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹ above a chlorophyll concentration of 12±6 mg chl m⁻³. We take chlorophyll to be a proxy for total food ofAcartia, known to feed on microzooplankton as well as phytoplankton. These findings, together with long-term records of chlorophyll, concentration and earlier studies of abundance of nauplius larvae in the estuary, imply chronic food limitation ofAcartia species, with sufficient food for maximum egg production <10% of the time over the last 25 yr. These results may show the most extreme example of food limitation of copepod reproduction in any temperate estuary. They further support the idea that estuaries may provide suitable habitat forAcartia species by virtue of other factors than high food concentration.     

Correction to: A novel methodological approach for land subsidence prediction through data assimilation techniques

Computational Geosciences - A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10596-021-10079-6     

Using a regional frequency analysis approach for calculating the Standardized Precipitation Index: an operational approach based on the two-parameter gamma distribution

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is a worldwide used probability-based drought index. Considering that the two-parameter gamma distribution (gam) is...     

Seasonal and inter-annual variability of water quality in the Uruguay River,Argentina

Abstract

Water quality of the Uruguay River was evaluated with multi-parametric (temperature, turbidity, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen) and sediment trap data (particle flux, total organic carbon and nitrogen contents) and correlated to precipitation, river discharge and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices for the period 2006–2011. Hydro-meteorological parameters averaged 24–85% variability with coincident precipitation (200–400 mm month^-1), discharge (7000–28 000 m³ s^-1) and turbidity peaks (50–80 NTU) in the austral spring, and absolute maxima during the El Niño 2009 episode. Spectral analysis of discharge and sea-surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) showed consistent variance maxima at approx. 3 and 1.5 years. Deseasonalized discharge was significantly correlated to SSTA. During river floods, pH decreased (from 7.5 to 6.6) and particle dynamics peaked (turbidity: 15–80 NTU; vertical fluxes: 20–200 g m^-2 d^-1; total solid load: <1000 to 100 000 t d^-1),whereas TOC remained stable (3.2 ± 0.8%) and C/N ratios increased (10–12) due to the higher contribution of terrestrial detritus.     

Characterization of indoor and outdoor atmospheric pollutants impacting architectural monuments: the case of San Jerónimo Monastery (Granada, Spain)

Indoor and outdoor concentrations of atmospheric gaseous pollutants as well as composition, size, and morphology of particulate matter have been investigated at the monastery of San Jerónimo in Granada (Southern Spain). Complementary micro- and nano-analytical techniques were applied; elemental and mineralogical composition and morphological characteristics of particulate matter were investigated combining electron probe microanalysis at the single particle level, and bulk aerosol samples were analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Microclimatic conditions at the monastery were monitored, and gas concentrations were assessed by means of diffusion tubes subsequently analyzed with ion chromatography. Results revealed high abundances of soil dust particles (aluminosilicates, calcite, dolomite, quartz), salt aerosols (chlorides, sulfates and ammonium-rich salts), and NO₂ and SO₂ both outdoors and indoors. Amorphous black carbon particles had surprisingly high abundances for Granada, a non-industrialized city. The composition of indoor particles corresponds to severe weathering affecting the construction materials and artworks inside the church; moreover their composition promotes a feedback process that intensifies the deterioration. Chemical reactions between chloride-rich salts and pigments from paintings were confirmed by TEM analyses. Indoors, blackening of surface decorative materials is fostered by particle re-suspension due to cleaning habits in the monastery (i.e. dusting). This is the first air quality study performed in a monument in the city of Granada with the aim of developing a strategy for preventive conservation.     

Pb chronology and trace metal geochemistry at Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, as evidenced by a sedimentary record from the Lago Verde crater lake

Lago Verde is a fresh-water maar found on the lower slopes of San Martin volcano, at the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, currently the northernmost remnant of the tropical rain forest in America. ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs analyzed in a sediment core were used to reconstruct the historical fluxes of Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg and Zn to the site during the last ∼ 150 yr. The ²¹⁰Pb_xs-derived sediment accumulation rates, the magnetic susceptibility, C/N ratios and δ¹³C data evidenced background conditions at the lake until 1960s, when enhanced erosion related to the clearing of large forested areas at Los Tuxtlas promoted higher accumulation rates of a heavier and more magnetic sedimentary material. Recent sediments from Lago Verde were found enriched by Pb (26-fold natural concentration level [NCLs]) and moderately enriched by Cd > Cu > Zn and Hg (6-, 5-, 4- and 4-fold corresponding NCLs, respectively). The fluxes of Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn have significantly increased since 1940s, with peak ratios of total modern to pre-industrial fluxes of 11, 11, 19 and 49, respectively. The lake occupies a relatively pristine, non-industrialized basin, and therefore the increased metal fluxes might be related to long-distance aeolian transport of trace metals.