Structure and taxonomic composition of free-living nematode and macrofaunal assemblages in a eutrophic subtropical harbour,Hong Kong

The spatial and seasonal taxonomic composition patterns of macrofauna and nematodes in a eutrophic subtropical harbour, previously suffered from sewage pollution, were studied in relation to a number of sediment parameters. In the polluted, inner-harbour area, levels of organic contents and heavy metals were high, whereas species number, abundance and diversity of nematodes and macrofauna were the lowest in comparison to the cleaner, outer-harbour area. Different taxonomic composition patterns of nematodes and macrofaunal assemblages were found between inner-harbour and outer-harbour area, which was highly correlated with sediment nutrient levels. Different responses of macrofaunal and nematode communities to sewage pollution suggested that macrofauna might be more tolerant than nematodes to eutrophic conditions due to their ability to modify the sediment. The present findings indicated the usefulness of studying both nematode and macrofaunal communities, in order to reveal different aspects of the benthic ecosystems in response to organic enrichment.     

基于基础设施性能的资产管理策略(英文)

基础设施的可持续发展需要系统地研究包括资产管理在内的基础设施管理的各个相关方面。本文构建了基于基础设施性能的资产管理策略的框架,并详细讨论了其主要原则与关键内容。     

Ensemble forecasting of tropical cyclone motion: comparisonbetween regional bred modes and random perturbations

Summary Random perturbations (RPs) and a modified version for breeding of growing modes are used with a regional baroclinic mesoscale model to perform ensemble forecasting of tropical cyclone motion. Based on a sample of six cases, similar conclusions are found as in previous barotropic modeling studies. Even after introducing a larger spatial correlation into the RPs using a multi-quadric analysis scheme, the skill of this ensemble mean track prediction is almost always lower than that of the control forecast in the cases considered. The track prediction performance of the ensemble using regional bred modes (RBMs) as perturbations has a higher average skill. At nearly all forecast intervals except less than 24 h when the initial position error still dominates, the ensemble mean tracks in all six cases are improved over the control forecast. In the 6 h–24 h range, the success rate (ratio of the cases with a forecast improvement to the total number of cases) has a value of 10/24. In the 30 h–48 h range, the success rate increases to 20/24, but drops to 18/24 in the 54 h–72 h range. A relative skill score (RSS) is used to compare the skills of the two perturbation methodologies. It is found that the average RSSs of using RBMs are significantly higher than the corresponding ones of RPs at the 99% confidence level in all three 24-h periods. Note that the above conclusion is only based on ensemble mean forecasts. All of the possibilities from an ensemble-based probabilistic track distribution are not explored in this paper. The ensemble spreads in these RBM ensembles are large enough to include the verifying tracks in all the cases considered. It is also found that the ensemble spread is well correlated with the average error in an ensemble when using RBMs, but not with the ensemble mean forecast error in both methodologies. Received February 7, 2001/Revised April 18, 2001     

Effects of heavy metals on the survival and feeding behaviour of the sandy shore scavenging gastropod Nassarius festivus (Powys)

The effects of Cu, Cd, Zn and Cr on the survival and feeding behaviour of the sandy shore scavenging gastropod Nassarius festivus were compared. The 96-h LC₅₀ for Cu, Cd, Zn and Cr were 0.36, 1.52, 1.76 and 36.9 mg l⁻¹, respectively. Four sublethal concentrations of each metal plus a control were prepared and the snails were exposed to experimental solutions for 96 h. Feeding behaviour was studied after the snails were starved for five days. As compared with the control, the number of individuals feeding was significantly reduced by exposure to 0.05 mg l⁻¹ Cu, 0.2 mg l⁻¹ Zn, 0.5 mg l⁻¹ Cd and 5 mg l⁻¹ Cr. The time spent feeding was greater for individuals exposed to greater concentrations of Zn and Cd but no effect was found for Cu and Cr. Chemoreception of food was studied by placing the snails at a fixed distance of 15 cm from the bait. The success rate of reaching the bait was less for individuals exposed to Cr but no effect was found for Zn, Cu or Cd. The time required for an individual to reach the bait decreased as the concentration of Zn increased. In contrast, a longer time was required for individuals exposed to Cr whereas the effect of Cd and Cu was insignificant. The potential of using feeding behaviour and chemoreception in contaminant evaluations is discussed.     

A study on one-dimensional consolidation of layered systems

A general analytical solution, which is more explicit than the one given by Schiffman and Stein,¹ for the problem of one-dimensional consolidation of layered soils is presented. A relevant computer program is developed and the computed results on some examples are included. From these results, an in-depth study on the one-dimensional consolidation behaviour of layered systems is then made. It is demonstrated through these examples that both the solution technique and the computer program developed are very efficient. It is found that the effects of coefficients of permeability and volume compressibility of soil on the consolidation of layered systems are different and cannot be embodied into the coefficient of consolidation of soil. The stiffness of soil layer also plays an important role on the rate of consolidation.     

Effects of dietary vitamin C on the immune function of shrimps, Penaeus chinensis

Prepared in this experiment were six groups of diets, i.e. VC0, VC1, VC2, VC3, VC4 and VC5 with the contents of vitamin C (VCmg(100 g)⁻¹ diet) of 0, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1200 respectively. It was found that vitamin C increased the concentrations of immunoglobulin-like (IgG-like, IgA-like and IgM-like) substances in the serum of Penaeus chinensis after a feeding period of 3 weeks. The differences among groups were significant (P<0.01), but there was no difference in the contents of complement3-like and complement4-like substances in the serum (P>0.05). Phenoloxidase (PO) activity in the serum of VC3 group shrimps was higher than that of VC0 and other groups, but no significant difference was observed between VC0 group and other groups. Furthermore, bactericidal activity of the serum to Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shrimps fed with the VC1 diet was higher than that in the other groups (P<0.01), while no difference was demonstrated among all groups for the bactericidal activity to Vibrio alginolyticus (P>0.05). It is, therefore, suggested that vitamin C (100–400 mg(100 g)⁻¹ diets) could be used as an immunostimulant of P. chinensis.     

Growing Threat of Rapidly-Intensifying Tropical Cyclones in East Asia

This study examines the long-term change in the threat of landfalling tropical cyclones(TCs) in East Asia over the period 1975–2020 with a focus on rapidly intensifying(RI) TCs. The increase in the annual number of RI-TCs over the western North Pacific and the northwestward shift of their genesis location lead to an increasing trend in the annual number of landfalling RI-TCs along the coast of East Asia. The annual power dissipation index(PDI), a measure of the destructive potential of RI-TCs at landfall, also shows a significant increasing trend due to increases in the annual frequency and mean landfall intensity of landfalling RI-TCs. The increase in mean landfall intensity is related to a higher lifetime maximum intensity(LMI) and the LMI location of the landfalling RI-TCs being closer to the coast. The increase in the annual PDI of East Asia is mainly associated with landfalling TCs in the southern(the Philippines, South China, and Vietnam) and northern parts(Japan and the Korean Peninsula) of East Asia due to long-term changes in vertical wind shear and TC heat potential. The former leads to a northwestward shift of favorable environments for TC genesis and intensification, resulting in the northwestward shift in the genesis, RI, and LMI locations of RI-TCs. The latter provides more heat energy from the ocean for TC intensification, increasing its chances to undergo RI.     

Size effects of suspended particles on gill damage in green-lipped mussel Perna viridis

The green-lipped mussels Perna viridis were exposed to <500 μm suspended solids (SS) with concentrations of 0 (control), 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/L for 14 days, followed by transferring to clean, filtered seawater for 28 days. Results of scanning microscopy showed significantly higher damages to the cilia on the frontal surface of the gill filaments than that on the abfrontal surface in both demibranchs. Percent ciliary depletion varied with SS concentrations and time. No sign of recovery of the gill filaments was observed after the mussels were transferred to clean seawater. In a second experiment, mussels were exposed to SS with size range from <63, >125–<250 and >250–<500 μm at 600 mg/L, together with a control (0 mg/L) for 14 days, followed by transferring to clean, filtered seawater for 28 days. Results of scanning microscopy showed significant ciliary damages in both the ascending and descending lamellae under the three particle size groups as compared with the control. Percent depletion of frontal cilia was most serious for the >250–<500 μm size group and least for the <63 μm size group. However, percent depletion of abfrontal cilia was most serious for the >125–<250 μm size group and least for the <63 μm size group. No recovery of ciliary damages was observed. The effects of particle size of suspended sediments on the morphological damages of gill filaments in the green-lipped mussels were discussed.