On the origin of glauconitic and chamositic granules

Glauconitic minerals range from green smectite to 10Å glauconite, occur mainly in peloids (most of which were fecal pellets), and apparently were produced largely by neoformation replacing several kinds of substrate. Chamositic minerals, berthierine and chamosite, occur in Recent and ancient peloids, but mostly in ancient ooids, and they developed by alteration of a precursor Al-rich clay mineral. Ooid sheaths were built by rolling of cores on ue sea floor. Glauconitic greensands and chamositic oolitic ironstones are condensed sequences deposited as sandwaves during long periods of reduced influx of sediment. Some are associated with hardgrounds.     

Size of flatfish larvae at transformation, functional demands and historical constraints

At hatching the larvae of flatfish closely resemble the bilateral symmetric larvae of other teleosts, especially perciforms. Literature data show that transformation to asymmetric benthic juveniles normally occurs at body lengths between 10 and 25 mm. Unexpectedly, minimal size at its completion (including eye migration) can be 4.1 mm SL and maximal size is over 72 mm. In this paper we consider the functional requirements for a successful switch from a symmetric pelagic larva to a typical asymmetric juvenile benthic flatfish partly based on evidence from other teleosts. The unfavourable period of eye migration and transition to a benthic habitat requires some food reserves and rewiring and/or recalibration of vision and gravity-associated structures utilised previously by the still symmetric larvae for e.g. food detection. Binocular fixation of the prey probably occurs in that stage. Critical or sensitive periods occurring during development of fish larvae suggest that a completely functional symmetric stage of development must precede transformation. The normal size range in flatfish larvae at transformation seems to confirm our considerations. Recent data on temperature effects during development provide an explanation for metamorphosis at the minimal size. Some evidence for paedomorphic heterochrony in flatfish larvae is presented.     

Experimental investigation of water impact on axisymmetric bodies

The results of an elaborate experimental investigation on bottom slamming of axisymmetric objects are presented. Drop tests have been performed on a hemisphere and two conical shapes with different deadrise angles. The test setup is designed so as to prevent small rotations of the test objects which cause scatter in the measurement data. The pressure distribution and evolution as well as the body motion parameters are measured during impact. By means of a high speed camera the water uprise is visualized and the wetting factor is determined for the cones. The results are compared with a three-dimensional asymptotic theory for axisymmetric rigid bodies with constant entry velocity. The ratio between the registered peak pressures and the asymptotic theory are in accordance with comparable experiments in the literature. The asymptotic theory, however, is found to be quite conservative, since the measured peak pressure levels appear to be approximately 50% to 75% of the theoretical levels.     

High-resolution record of tectonic and sedimentary processes in growth strata

Growth strata are used to determine the kinematics of synsedimentary structures such as faults. Classical methods of analysis such as thickness versus throw plot consider that the available space created by fault slip in the hanging wall of faults is instantaneously filled up by sediments. This has lead many previous works to identify a cyclic activity for growth faults. Here we perform a careful analysis of the variation of strata thicknesses on each side of a very well documented normal growth fault in the Niger delta. We show that these thickness variations are induced by the alternation of sedimentary processes during continuous fault slip. Suspended-load processes induce either uniform or slightly variable thickness of a large majority of mudstone layers. Bedload processes result in a preferential thickening of sand layers in the hanging wall. These high quality data thus provide strong grounds for doubting the polycyclic growth diagnosed for some faults at the scale of sedimentary cycles and supports the notion that fault displacement rates can be very well behaved. Our study emphasizes the important conclusion that stable fault growth, and related displacement rates, can appear to be punctuated when viewed at the scale of sedimentary cycles. It follows that care should be taken when attempting to derive displacement rates on temporal scales equivalent to those of alternating sedimentological cycles.     

Livelihoods and co-management in the Tam Giang lagoon,Vietnam

The Tam Giang – Cau Hai lagoon is a microcosm of the complex social-ecological challenges experienced in similar systems throughout Southeast Asia. Intensification and rapid change in livelihood strategies (production and gear type) have increased conflict and placed a significant strain on aquatic resources in the lagoon. Such changes are compounded by near-shore agricultural development and urbanization. In the long-term, resolving livelihood conflicts and sustaining ecosystems will require a shift in the planning and management model from one that is top-down and enforcement driven, to one involving greater decision making and management authority at the local level. Drawing on experiences with a long-term action research process in the lagoon, this paper examines the challenges and opportunities of implementing a co-management approach. Of particular focus is the growing recognition among authorities of the value of engaging local fishers and fish farmers in participatory process to resolve complex livelihood challenges, and the development of local management bodies (newly formed Fishing Associations) as a basis for emerging co-management of aquatic resources.     

Lead contamination of small cetaceans in European waters--the use of stable isotopes for identifying the sources of lead exposure

Lead concentrations and isotopic composition have been measured in bone and teeth of small cetaceans belonging to three species (Delphinus delphis, Phocoena phocoena and Stenella coeruleoalba), to evaluate the toxicological risk and to determine sources of lead in the European waters. Lead concentrations, far lower than threshold value inducing toxic effects in human, were higher in teeth than in bones, but highly correlated between the two tissues (r=0.92, p<0.001). Large variations of 206Pb/207Pb values in bone tissue showed that cetaceans must be submitted to various atmospheric influences. No geographical differences appeared which is consistent with studies on their distribution indicating seasonal movements between Brittany waters and the Bay of Biscay. The negative correlation between 206Pb/207Pb ratios and age of the individuals reflected the decrease in the production of alkyl lead in Europe, i.e., the increasing use of unleaded gasoline.     

Automatic tracing of the foot of the continental slope

The UNCLOS III (Article 76, Section 4(b)) defines the foot of the continental slope as the point of maximum change in the gradient at its base. It is impossible to locate so defined afoot and thus to trace the foot‐line objectively by eye. In this study we show a method designed automatically to detect and trace the foot‐line of the continental slope from an irregular array of bathymetrical data. Our algorithm first transforms the bathymetric surface to a maximum curvature surface. On this new surface, the foot‐line corresponds to one of the ridges; instead of tracing the foot‐line on the bathymetric surface, we now can trace the ridges on the maximum curvature surface. The tracing of the ridges can be done automatically and objectively and the foot‐line is identified as being one of these ridges. We devote particular attention to the case when the ridge‐line is not defined, i.e., to the case when the point of maximum gradient change becomes a region of maximum gradient change.