Does sediment grain size affect diatom grazing by harpacticoid copepods?

Estuarine soft sediments support a diverse group of eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms though the role of the sediment per se for the functioning of these organisms remains largely unknown. The present study aimed to test the effect of sediment grain size on the grazing activities of harpacticoid copepods. In controlled experiments, two common intertidal harpacticoid species (Paramphiascella fulvofasciata and Nitokra spinipes) were each offered a mix of two benthic diatom species (Navicula phyllepta and Seminavis robusta) in different sedimentary conditions. Several microcosms were created using a variety of sediment types, including fine silt (<63 microm), coarser grained sands (125-250, 250-450, 100-300 microm), artificial 'sediments' of glass beads (250-500, 2000 microm) and even the absence of sediment was tested. The diatoms were enriched in the stable carbon (13)C to facilitate tracing in the harpacticoids. Both copepod species were able to graze on the diatoms with highest uptake when sediment was absent. In contrast, both harpacticoid species showed no uptake in silty conditions. In general, grazing was favoured when mean sediment grain size increased. The strong negative effect of fine grains on the grazer's efficiency can be explained by the resulting differences in the structure (and accessibility) of the diatom biofilm on the one hand and the mobility of the grazer on the other hand. In view of the subtle equilibrium between primary producers and grazers, these results might have important implications for the effect of siltation of tidal flats due to, e.g., human activities.     

An evaluation of force-based design vs. direct displacement-based design of jointed precast post-tensioned wall systems

The unique features of jointed post-tensioned wall systems, which include minimum structural damage and re-centering capability when subjected to earthquake lateral loads, are the result of using unbonded post-tensioning to attach the walls to the foundation, along with employing energy dissipating shear connectors between the walls. Using acceptance criteria defined in terms of inter-story drift, residual drift, and floor acceleration, this study presents a multiplelevel performance-based seismic evaluation of two five-story unbonded post-tensioned jointed precast wall systems. The design and analysis of these two wall systems, established as the direct displacement-based and force-based solutions for a prototype building used in the PREcast Seismic Structural Systems （PRESSS） program, were performed at 60% scale so that the analysis model could be validated using the PRESSS test data. Both buildings satisfied the performance criteria at four levels of earthquake motions although the design base shear of the direct displacement-based jointed wall system was 50% of that demanded by the force-based design method. The study also investigated the feasibility of controlling the maximum transient inter-story drift in a jointed wall system by increasing the number of energy dissipating shear connectors between the walls but without significantly affecting its re-centering capability.     

Mechanical compression release device in steel bracing system for retrofitting RC frames

1 Introduction Braced steel frames are commonly used to resist seismic loads. Their seismic behavior was extensively studied during the past decades (Bertero et al.., 1989; Roeder, 1989; Jain, 1978). Their design is governed by the buckling behavior of the bracing members (ASCE, 1994,2002; CSA, 1994). To prevent or delay the seismic buckling of compressive members in concentrically braced frames in steel structures, a great number of methods have been proposed. These include the use of sp…     

The First Mesozoic Heterodactyl Bird from China

1 Introduction Enantiornithines were the dominant birds nearly worldwide throughout the entire span of the Cretaceous (Chiappe, 1995; Feduccia, 1996). The adaptive radiation of opposite birds is little known besides the disparity of rostral morphology in Boluochia (Zhou, 1995), Longipteryx (Zhang et al., 2001), Longirostravis ( Hou et al., 2004), and the presence of stomach contents that reflect a diversity of diets. Like the structure of rostrum, differentiation of the locomotor apparatu…     

The impact of northern Indian Ocean rivers on the Bay of Bengal using NEMO global ocean model

The effect of river runoff over the northern Indian Ocean(NIO) especially over the Bay of Bengal(Bo B) has been studied using global Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean(NEMO). Two sensitivity experiments, with and without river runoff are conducted and the influence of river runoff on the Indian Ocean hydrography,stratification and circulation features are studied. It is found that due to river runoff surface salinity over the northern Bo B decreases by more than 5 and the East India Coastal Current strengthens by 2 cm/s during post monsoon season. The fresh river water reaches up to 15°N in the Bo B and is the main cause for low salinity there.Sea surface temperature in the northwestern Bo B increases by more than 0.2℃ due to the river runoff in summer monsoon while surface cooling upto 0.2℃ is seen in north-west part of Bo B in winter season. The seasonal mixed layer depth in the region is found to be dependent on river runoff. The effect of vertical shear and Brunt Vaisala frequency on stratification is also examined. The ocean water becomes highly stratified up to 3 035 m due to the river runoff. It is found that the energy required for mixing is high in the northern and coastal Bo B.     

A pilot survey on antimicrobial activity and diversity of soil-derived actinobacteria from different depths in Gudzhirganskoe saline lake in Eastern Siberia

To explore pharmaceutical actinobacteria from salty environments in Siberia, 8 soil samples were collected from different depths of Gudzhirganskoe saline lake, the Republic of Buryatia, Russia.Totally, 635 actinobacterial strains affiliated with 21 genera in 12 families of 7 orders were obtained by culture-dependent approaches. The predominant genus was Streptomyces(74.5%), followed by Microbacterium(4.9%), Agromyces(3.5%), Nocardiopsis(3.0%), and Kitasatospora(2.5%). Seven strains showed relati...     

Challenges in the Detection and Attribution of Northern Hemisphere Surface Temperature Trends Since 1850

Since 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) has heavily relied on the comparison between global climate model hindcasts and global surface temperature(ST) estimates for concluding that post-1950s global warming is mostly human-caused. In Connolly et al., we cautioned that this approach to the detection and attribution of climate change was highly dependent on the choice of Total Solar Irradiance(TSI) and ST data sets.We compiled 16 TSI and five ST data sets and found by alter...     

Effect of Matching Algorithm and Profile Shape on Pulsar Pulse Time of Arrival Uncertainties

For high-precision pulsar timing analysis and low-frequency gravitational wave detection, it is essential to accurately determine pulsar pulse times of arrival(ToAs) and associated uncertainties. To measure the ToAs and their uncertainties, various cross-correlation-based techniques can be employed. We develop methodologies to investigate the impact of the template-matching method, profile shape, signal-to-noise ratio of both template and observation on ToA uncertainties. These methodologies are...     

Glacier reconstruction of La Covacha Massif in Sierra de Gredos(central Spain) during the Last Glacial Maximum

A paleoglacier reconstruction during the Last Glacial Maximum(LGM) is presented for a high mountain area of La Covacha massif in Sierra de Gredos(Iberian Central System) in central Spain. The moraines that, according with the previous literature, had formed during the global LGM, were mapped through photo interpretation of digital aerial photographs and 3D images and detailed field surveys. The topography of the paleoglaciers was estimated using a simple steady-state model that assumed a perfectly plastic ice rheology, reconstructing the theoretical ice profiles and obtaining the ice thickness of the glaciers during the LGM. The reconstruction of the glaciers was carried out using automated and semi-automated physically-based models, obtaining more realistic results with semi-automated models. According to our study, the paleoglaciers in the study area covered an area of 34.79 km~2 during the global LGM, with a maximum ice thickness of 366 meters in La Vega gorge, a total volume of 34.25 × 108 m~3 and a mean paleoELA of 1932 meters. Most of the ice(～82%) was in paleoglaciers facing north, and the rest was in paleoglaciers with other orientations. This emphasizes the importance of orientation in relation to glacier dynamics and ice accumulation. The results obtained in the calculation of paleoELAs during the global LGM in Gredos are average compared to the Iberian mountains of the Northwest where the values were much lower, and with respect to those of the Southwest, much higher. This demonstrates the importance of the exposure of Mediterranean mountains to the humidity sources coming from the NW during the global LGM, as is the case at present.     

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