Temporal study of estrogenic responses of mussel (Mytilus galloprovinciallis) extracts applied to reporter cell lines

In vitro bioassays would facilitate monitoring of estrogen-like compounds in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) since they tend to accumulate lipophilic compounds in their fat and muscle tissue. However, estradiol (E2) steroid (already identified in mussels) could induce false positive responses. This study focuses on temporal variability in estrogenic responses of mussel extracts and the possible relation of this response with E2 levels. The reproductive cycle and growth were thus monitored for six months in sexed mussels. E2 levels were similar between genders and these levels varied with reproductive stages. human estrogen receptor (hER) activities were similar at all stages except in February. E2 present in male and female extracts accounted for part of the hER activation observed, but no correlation was found between E2 levels and hER activities.     

近500年来喜马拉雅山达索普冰芯中尘埃含量变化与西、南亚及北非干旱化趋势

本文重建了近500年来喜马拉雅山中段达索普冰芯中尘埃浓度与尘埃沉积通量的变化历史,谱分析结果表明它们的变化均存在较显著的12.3年、9.8年、7.4年、6.1年和5.3 年周期。该冰芯中尘埃含量与净积累量之间不存在任何相关性,说明其尘埃可能主要来源于上风方向的远源地区。基于后向轨迹法,并结合该地区附近已有的气溶胶研究结果,认为西、南亚甚至北非地区可能是该冰芯中尘埃物质的主要源区。近500年来达索普冰芯中尘埃沉积通量的增加趋势,反映了其源区干旱程度的加重趋势。     

海洋中之雷雨

雷雨之构成,系为附近空气暂时呈不稳定性所致。其渊源有二:(一)由于近地面空气之温度,远视其在上层者为高。(二)由于寒气流与暖气流之辐合。盖雷雨之衍进也,实系变易地方性空气之不稳定状态,为较稳定均衡之步骤,而其主要关键则在暖空气之上升耳。下节且述及此步骤之纲要,惟雷雨之现象,固极复杂,而非能于此了     

Inverse modeling of coastal aquifers using tidal response and hydraulic tests

Remediation of contaminated aquifers demands a reliable characterization of hydraulic connectivity patterns. Hydraulic diffusivity is possibly the best indicator of connectivity. It can be derived using the tidal response method (TRM), which is based on fitting observations to a closed-form solution. Unfortunately, the conventional TRM assumes homogeneity. The objective of this study was to overcome this limitation and use tidal response to identify preferential flowpaths. Additionally, the procedure requires joint inversion with hydraulic test data. These provide further information on connectivity and are needed to resolve diffusivity into transmissivity and storage coefficient. Spatial variability is characterized using the regularized pilot points method. Actual application may be complicated by the need to filter tidal effects from the response to pumping and by the need to deal with different types of data, which we have addressed using maximum likelihood methods. Application to a contaminated artificial coastal fill leads to flowpaths that are consistent with the materials used during construction and to solute transport predictions that compare well with observations. We conclude that tidal response can be used to identify connectivity patterns. As such, it should be useful when designing measures to control sea water intrusion.     

Fate of persistent organic pollutants in the water column: does turbulent mixing matter?

The effect of vertical turbulent mixing on the dynamics of persistent organic pollutants has long been overlooked and its role is still hardly understood. Here we present the first comprehensive analysis of the role of turbulent diffusion on the distribution of those contaminants and its interplay with sinking fluxes. To this end, a 1D dynamic coupled hydrodynamic-contaminant model has been developed and applied to a Mediterranean continental shelf environment. The hydrodynamic sub-model is adapted from COHERENS, the contaminant sub-model is an improvement from the BIODEP model and considers the contaminant in 3 phases: dissolved-colloidal-particulate. The simulation highlights the role of turbulence in determining the POP distribution and variability in the water column. In short, turbulent flux of contaminants strengthens the upward diffusion of sediment entrained contaminants and determines the extent to which inputs from the atmosphere mix into the water column. It acts in parallel with degradation and sinking fluxes, the combined effect yielding a surface enriched - depth depleted - benthic layer enriched region distribution, which presents similarities to reported experimental measures.     

Factors affecting marine debris deposition at French Frigate Shoals, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument, 1990-2006

Data on the amount and type of small debris items deposited on the beaches of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge Tern Island station, French Frigate Shoals were collected over 16 years. We calculated deposition rates and investigated the relationship among deposition and year, season, El Ni?o and La Ni?a events from 1990 to 2006. In total 52,442 debris items were collected with plastic comprising 71% of all items collected. Annual debris deposition varied significantly (range 1116-5195 items) but was not influenced by season. Debris deposition was significantly greater during El Ni?o events as compared to La Ni?a events. Although often deduced to influence floating marine pollution, this study provides the first quantitative evidence of the influence of El Ni?o/La Ni?a cycles on marine debris deposition.     

A new methodology based on littoral community cartography dominated by macroalgae for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive

Macroalgae is a biological key element for the assessment of the ecological status in coastal waters in the frame of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC). Here we propose a methodology for monitoring water quality based on the cartography of littoral and upper-sublittoral rocky-shore communities (CARLIT, in short). With the use of spatial databases, GIS, and available information about the value of rocky-shore communities as indicators of water quality, it is possible to obtain an environmental quality index representative of the ecological status of rocky coasts. This index, which completely fulfils the requirements of the WFD, is expressed as a ratio between the observed values in the sector of shore that is being assessed and the expected value in a reference condition zone with the same substrate and coastal morphology (Ecological Quality Ratio, EQR). The application of this index to the coast of Catalonia (North-Western Mediterranean) is presented.     

The monitoring of opportunistic macroalgal blooms for the water framework directive

Among the various quality elements which the Water Framework Directive requires should be monitored are macroalgae. One aspect of these is the presence, in transitional waters particularly, of large blooms of opportunistic macroalgae, such as Ulva and Enteromorpha. Within the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (RoI) there are currently no set ecological quality objectives or standards for macroalgae. Nor are there standard methods for monitoring macroalgal blooms, although various combinations of aerial photography, remote sensing and measurements on the ground are used. This paper attempts to set a logical framework for the prioritisation of sites for monitoring, the development of a tiered monitoring procedure and the derivation of thresholds for classification. Draft threshold limits for percentage cover and biomass of macroalgae have been derived from the literature. The importance of secondary effects and physico-chemical parameters is discussed.