A Review on Marine N2 Fixation: Mechanism,Evolution of Methodologies,Rates, and Future Concerns

Ocean Science Journal - Investigations on marine N2 fixation have gained momentum since 1960s with eventual establishments of relevant methodologies to identify species involved and quantify the...     

A review of sediment dynamical processes in the west coast of Korea,eastern Yellow Sea

Sediment dynamical processes began to be systematically monitored in the west coast of Korea facing the eastern Yellow Sea in the 1990s. The early investigations were largely conducted aboard vessels that provided results where the resolution was highly restricted in both temporal and spatial aspects. However, full-fledged autonomous instruments introduced early in the 2000s allowed for a quantum leap in the level of this sub-field of sedimentology. The investigated sites include various environments such as estuaries, bays, tidal flats, beaches, and offshore deposits. Among them, a total of seven sites were selected for the review: Han estuary, Daeho tidal flats, Garolim Bay, Saemangeum Region, Byunsan Beach, Gomso Bay, and Huksan Mud Belt. The major results from each site were briefly summarized. The summary clearly demonstrates that wind-generated currents and waves particularly during winter should be carefully considered in interpreting sedimentary environments. This is because winter-season processes interrupt or actively displace much of the sediments worked by tidal currents in the remaining seasons. The summary hence suggests that seasonal investigations of sediment dynamics are necessary to understand shallow-water sedimentation in the west coast of Korea that is governed complicatedly by two major forcing agents: waves and tidal currents.     

Applicability of Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) in Japanese fisheries: A comparison of rights-based fisheries management in Iceland, Japan, and United States

ITQs have not yet been introduced by the Government of Japan. In coastal areas, fishery cooperative associations have traditionally played an important role in managing fisheries through self-imposed rules and peer-monitoring systems. Recently, however, the economic competitiveness of Japanese fisheries in the international market is being questioned. In this paper, a detailed examination of the pros and cons of the current system in Japan is compared to the current fishery management measures of Iceland and the United States, where attaining economically or biologically efficient outcomes may be prioritized in making fisheries management decisions. For many coastal fisheries in Japan, maintaining a management scheme in which stakeholders play an active role in determining fisheries measures seems more relevant if their priority is to maintain the stability of coastal communities and equity of stakeholders. Intensive dialog among stakeholders would be necessary to identify shared objectives of their fishery operations and to make decisions to establish specific steps toward the goal of increasing economic efficiency, environmental sustainability, or stability of communities and equity of stakeholders.     

Assessment of Dynamic Characteristics for Compaction Piles with Geophysical Logging in Soft Ground

In this paper, a case study was performed on a sand compaction pile (SCP) and a gravel compaction pile (GCP) to estimate the dynamic characteristics and the improvement effect of soft ground. The dynamic elastic modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, and Poisson's ratio were estimated and the dynamic characteristics were analyzed using the compression and shear wave velocity of the improved ground based on the results of suspension P- and S-wave (PS) logging. The results revealed that the dynamic properties were increased in the order of unimproved subsoil and improved subsoil using SCP and GCP. The increase in the effects of dynamic properties with each replacement ratio of SCP was not large, whereas a good increase in the effects was observed in the case of the improved subsoil with GCP. Consequently, it was presented that the resistance characteristics against the seismic loading of GCP are excellent. As a result of analyzing the density distribution of the improved subsoil through density field logging, the overall density distribution gradually exhibits increasing trends in the order of unimproved subsoil and improved subsoil with SCP and GCP. Thus, the improvement effect of GCP was relatively high in comparison with the same replacement ratio of SCP.     

Static bay beach concept for scientists and engineers: A review

Headland-bay beach (HBB) is one of the most prominent physiographic features on the oceanic margin of many countries in the world. Under the influence of a predominant swell, its curved periphery in natural environment may reach static equilibrium and remains stable without sediment supply from updrift and/or a riverain source within its own embayment. Coastal scientists and engineers have attempted to develop mathematical expressions to quantify this ideal bay shape since the 1940s. As the scenario with depleting sediment supply has become a common reality on many parts of the world coastline in more recent time, some coastal engineers have advocated a rational approach to mimicking the static bay shape found in nature in order to mitigate beach erosion as well as for coastal management. Nowadays, many useful applications have emerged since the publication of the parabolic bay shape equation (PBSE) developed for static equilibrium planform (SEP) in late 1980s. The advance in modern computer technologies and international collaboration has further facilitated the exchange of knowledge and applications of this static bay beach concept (SBBC).     

On waves propagating over a submerged poro-elastic structure

In this paper, the problem of incident waves propagating over a submerged poro-elastic structure is studied theoretically. A linear wave theory is used to describe the wave motion. The submerged poro-elastic structure is modeled based on Biot's theory, in which the fluid motion is described using the potential wave theory of Sollitt and Cross (1972). In the present approach, the problem domain is divided into four subregions. Using general solutions for each region and matching dynamic and kinematic conditions for neighboring regions, analytic solutions are derived for the wave fields and poro-elastic structure. The present analytic solutions compare very well with simplified cases of impermeable, rigid structures, and with those of porous structures. Using the present analytic solution, the effects of a poro-elastic submerged structure on waves are studied. The results show that softer poro-elastic structures can induce higher reflection and lower transmission from incident waves. For low permeability conditions, the elasticity of the structure can induce resonance, while higher permeability can depress the resonant effects.     

Effects of Concentrated Freshwater Discharge on Hydrography and Mesozooplankton Community in a Dammed Estuary

Ocean Science Journal - This study examines the different effects of high and low freshwater discharge on the water physical structure of the water column and plankton community in a tide-dominated...     

Application of Column Chromatography for Accurate Determination of the Carbon Isotopic Compositions of n-alkanes in Diverse Environmental Samples

Ocean Science Journal - The carbon isotopic compositions (δ13C) of n-alkanes in various environmental samples have been previously proposed as suitable fingerprints for assessing the origin of...     

Negative Impacts of Perkinsus olseni Infection in Manila Clam Ruditapes philippinarum Observed from Tidal Flats in Anmyeondo Island on the West Coast of Korea During Post-Spawning Period

Ocean Science Journal - The high load of protozoan parasites in marine bivalves often leads to mass mortalities of the hosts. On the west coast of Korea in the Yellow Sea, the protozoan parasite...     

Age and Growth of Southern Bluefin Tuna,Thunnus maccoyii,Based on Otolith Microstructure

Ocean Science Journal - Age and growth of southern bluefin tuna (SBT, Thunnus maccoyii) were estimated based on otoliths collected by Korean tuna longline vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans...