Role of mean circulation,tides, and waves in the transport of bottom sediment on the New Zealand continental shelf

Evaluation of velocity data on water movements over the New Zealand continental shelf has revealed that the mean circulation by itself is too slow to induce transport of bottom sediments. Tides generally have higher velocities, but are still not the main transporting agent except in the tide‐dominated Cook and Foveaux. Straits. Waves have the potential to stir sediments on the inner and middle shelf (less than about 70 m deep) during annual storms, and probably down to 130 m depth during the maximum 25‐y storm.

For sediment transport to take place, energies of at least two of the major water movements would have to complement one another. Optimum conditions for transport probably occur during storm periods when wave‐suspended sediment is readily moved by tides and the mean circulation.

The direction of transport is mainly along the continental shelf and is largely in response to prevailing weather patterns coincident with the direction of the mean circulation and strongly reinforced by the appropriate phase of the tide.     

Method for comparing fish growth curves

The method of comparing growth curves that is described in this paper consists of describing growth for the ith group by the equation Li(t) = ai + bi r^t, which is linear in the two parameters ai and bi, and subsequently using the analysis of variance to compare the curves. The advantages of the linear growth equation over the von Bertalanffy equation, l i (t) ⁼ ai + bi r^t i, are easier analysis and a much simpler interpretation of the differences in the parameters in terms of growth rate and maximum size. An example comparing the growth of male and female red gurnard Chelidonichthys kumu from four areas within the Hauraki Gulf is given.     

Population variations in the grazing turbinid Lunella smaragda (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

The grazing turbinid gastropod Lunella smaragda was sampled regularly over 3.5 y from precise sites of different microtopography and height on the platform shore at Goat Island Beach near Leigh, Northland, New Zealand. Growth is linear for over 3 y, and the year‐classes distinct. The position of the different size‐classes is related to both the shelter afforded by the microtopography, and to the height on the shore. The populations in the mid‐eulittoral turf flats, low eulittoral bare rock areas, and the sublittoral fringe are distinct, and there is a general movement down the shore with age and size. Wave action apparently dislodges the animals from higher areas when they grow to a critical size and transports them to sites lower on the shore, where wave disturbance is less. Field experiments with marked animals and laboratory studies with a wave tank confirm that the wave‐effected distribution is size related. However measurements showed that the ratio of foot attachment area to the shell area presented to the wave does not vary with animal size. The possible benefits of wave dislodgment and wave‐effected distribution are considered.     

Preliminary observations of the internal tide over the shelf west of New Zealand

Abstract

Semidiurnal variations in the depth of the thermocline observed near the shelf edge north‐west of Cape Egmont are probably caused bv an internal tide generated at around 200 m depth over the continental slope. The observations suggest that in this region an internal tide, with amplitude of about 20 m, propagates onto the shelf with a speed of approximately 0.5 m·s^?1 and a wavelength of about 22 km.     

Genetic variation and population structure in the New Zealand snapper

Fifteen proteins encoded by 23 gene loci were electrophoretically surveyed in two samples of snapper Chrysophrys auratus (Forster) from Wellington Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf. Between 17% and 26% of the loci examined were found to be polymorphic and the proportion of heterozygous loci per individual was 7.9% to 8.4%. Using Rogers’ genetic distance coefficient an overall similarity of 0.98 was calculated between the two samples.

Three polymorphic loci Est‐4, Gpi‐1, and Idh were examined in an additional 10 samples from around New Zealand. Two genetically distinct stocks were apparent: one along the west coast, the other along the east coast of the North Island. There was an indication of stock mixing at Ninety Mile Beach and in the Bay of Plenty and East Cape. The distribution of alleles at the Est‐4 locus revealed a third stock in Hawke Bay that is genetically more similar to the west coast than the east coast stock. Hydrological conditions in Hawke Bay are more similar to those of the west coast than to those of the north east coast of the North Island. Thus it is possible that Est‐4 alleles are selectively maintained in response to an environmental factor.     

Fattening of wild short‐finned eels,Anguilla Australis schmidtii Phillipps

Short‐finned wild eels fed an artificial diet containing either a low (5%) or a high (20%) oil content were found to increase their mass by an average of more than 30% after a 34‐day feeding period; the lipid content of the eels’ muscle was also increased from about 10% to around 20%.     

Book review

The behavior and natural history of the Caribbean reef squid Sepioteuthis sepioidea. By Martin Moynihan and Arcadio F. Rodaniche, 1982. Advances in Ethology, No. 25. Berlin and Hamburg, Verlag Paul Parey. 150 p., 42 figures, 9 tables. ISBN 3 ‐ 489 ‐ 61936 ‐ 6 (soft cover). Price DM 48, approximately US$21.60.     

Urban stormwater quality I. Hillcrest,Hamilton, New Zealand

Water quality parameters associated with siltation (non‐volatile and volatile suspended solids), oxygen depletion (chemical and biochemical oxygen demand), nutrient enrichment (N, P), toxicity (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Cd), and human pathogenic micro‐organisms (coliforms, faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci) were measured in baseflow and stormflow from a residential catchment in Hamilton, New Zealand, from November 1979 to December 1981. A macro‐invertebrate survey was conducted. All parameters, except nitrogen, were predominantly associated with particulate material, and closely followed suspended solids behaviour during storm runoff. The concentrations of these particulate parameters are linearly related to suspended solid concentrations, which implies a reasonable consistency in the particulate source material, probably attributable to the uniform stable land use. The runoff was enriched with nitrate (from septic tank seepage) and the particles by Zn, Pb, and Cu. There was little or no enrichment of the particulates with phosphorus, nitrogen, organic matter, Cr, or Ni relative to catchment soils. Ni, Cr, and Cd were generally below detection limits. Dissolved reactive phosphorus and NH₄ ⁺‐N levels were low and unimportant in total P or N leaving the catchment. Most organic matter was particulate and only slowly degraded, and consequently the biological oxygen demand was only a small fraction (c. 13%) of chemical oxygen demand. Interpretation of the water quality data allows some tentative predictions to be made of potential receiving water impacts. It is doubtful that urban runoff will cause significant oxygen depletion, although the high level of organic‐rich particulate material could lead to a deterioration of receiving water sediments and affect benthic invertebrates. Urban runoff may be an important source of nutrients, but (apart from nitrate) its importance depends on the amount of suspended material in the runoff rather than increased input of nutrients from urban‐related activities. Bacterial counts indicate a poor water quality. The impact of metals will depend largely on the bioavailability of the particulate‐bound fraction. The key to the understanding of transport, treatment, and impact of most potential pollutants in urban runoff is probably their association with particulate materials.     

Observed and modelled tidal currents in the New Zealand region

Tidal currents derived from current meter measurements are compared with the output from a barotropic tidal model of the New Zealand region. For the semi‐diurnal constituents there was very good agreement for the M₂ tide and good agreement for the S₂ tide. For the diurnal constituents (K_l, O_l) it was found that as the amplitude of the constituents decreased so did both the model/observation agreement and the accuracy of the observed tidal ellipse parameters. Consequently it was not possible to decide whether differences arose through shortcomings in the model or in the data. However, the overall performance of the model as a prognostic tool for ocean tidal current simulation appears to be good.