Decadal-scale morphologic variability of managed coastal dunes

Coastal dunes located in densely populated areas provide various services to man, such as protection against flooding during storm surges. Since coastal dunes are dynamic features, the level of protection they provide varies in time. Therefore, management interventions are often undertaken to stabilize the dunes to reduce the natural variability. This study provides quantitative insight into the morphologic variability of managed foredunes over time spans of decades. We used Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis on a 45 year data set of annually surveyed dune profiles along 97 km of the Netherlands' coast. On average, 70% of the deviations from the time-averaged profiles could be related to cross-shore coherent changes in foredune shape as mapped onto EOF 1. These changes are often largely due to morphologic developments occurring near the dunefoot. Changes in dune shape were coherent over time as well as in the longshore direction albeit with different characteristic patterns along the coast. These results show that managed foredunes may still exhibit considerable morphologic variability that should not be ignored in long-term dune safety assessment studies.     

Axial compressive bearing capacity of piles in ‎oil-contaminated sandy soil using FCV

ABSTRACT

Oil and its derivatives contaminate many soils and not only affect their chemical and biological properties but also their geotechnical properties. As oil contamination may deteriorate the functioning of piles, this paper addresses the effects of oil contamination on soil–pile interactions. Axial compressive bearing capacities of two close-ended, instrumented piles were investigated in different oil-contaminated sand using frustum confining vessel. Three different oils (gasoil, crude oil, and used motor oil) at different contamination levels were considered and using some strain gauges, the toe, shaft, and the net total bearing capacity of piles, as well as load distributions along the pile length, were derived. The results show that the presence of oil between soil particles has considerable adverse effects on bearing capacities of model piles, especially the shaft bearing capacity. The oil viscosity and percentage, as well as the contaminated sand bed thickness around the piles, are the most influential parameters. The higher the oil viscosity and oil content, the lower the values of the piles’ bearing capacities in comparison to the uncontaminated sand. With some modifications on the bearing capacity parameters of CFEM method, a good agreement was observed between measured and calculated bearing capacity values.     

Spatial variability of N2O concentrations and of denitrification-related factors in the surficial groundwater of a catchment in Northern Germany

N₂O concentrations and denitrification-related factors (NO₃, SO₄, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and CO₂) were investigated in the surface groundwater of a catchment in northern Germany, the Fuhrberger Feld Aquifer (FFA). We sampled 79 plots that were selected according to the three criteria of land use, historical land use conversion (1954–1995) and groundwater level. We sampled three sites within each plot. The sampling depth was 0.5 m below the groundwater surface.We found no indication for the occurrence of autotrophic denitrification in the surface groundwater. Heterotrophic denitrification was identified as the main process for N₂O accumulation. The variability of N₂O concentrations on the plot-scale was extremely high and was poorly explained by the three sampling criteria. Other denitrification-related variables such as NO₃, SO₄ and DOC were less variable. The selection criteria land use and groundwater level clearly influenced the order of magnitude of N₂O concentrations in the surface groundwater. Under arable land, high NO₃ concentrations resulted in high N₂O concentrations. The surface groundwater under forest and pasture was almost NO₃-free and had also very small N₂O concentrations. Plots where the distance from the soil surface to the groundwater surface was large (>1 m up to 3.4 m) showed higher N₂O concentrations in the surface groundwater than plots where the distance was small (<1 m). A larger distance from the soil surface to the groundwater leads to a longer residence time and more decomposition of DOC in the soil. Consequently the less bioavailable DOC could inhibit the efficiency of the heterotrophic denitrification in the groundwater, yielding more N₂O. Elevated organic carbon levels in plots with historic land use conversion (pasture to arable) were very stable and did not influence N₂O concentrations. The high within plot variability showed that an upscaling of N₂O from the plot-scale to the catchment-scale is possible as long as the groundwater level regime and the land use do not change.     

Petrology and oxygen isotopic compositions of clasts in HED polymict breccia NWA 5232

Northwest Africa (NWA) 5232, an 18.5 kg polymict eucrite, comprises eucritic and exogenic CM carbonaceous chondrite clasts within a clastic matrix. Basaltic clasts are the most abundant eucritic clast type and show a range of textures and grain size, from subophitic to granoblastic. Other eucritic clast types present include cumulate (high‐En pyroxene), pyroxene‐lath, olivine rich with symplectite intergrowths as a break‐down product of a quickly cooled Fe‐rich metastable pyroxferroite, and breccia (fragments of a previously consolidated breccia) clasts. A variable cooling rate and degree of thermal metamorphism, followed by a complex brecciation history, can be inferred for the clasts based on clast rounding, crystallization (and recrystallization) textures, pyroxene major and minor element compositions, and pyroxene exsolution. The range in δ¹⁸O of clasts and matrix of NWA 5232 reflects its origin as a breccia of mixed clasts dominated by eucritic lithologies. The oxygen isotopic compositions of the carbonaceous chondrite clasts identify them as belonging to CM group and indicate that these clasts experienced a low degree of aqueous alteration while part of their parent body. The complex evolutionary history of NWA 5232 implies that large‐scale impact excavation and mixing was an active process on the surface of the HED parent body, likely 4 Vesta.     

Improved in situ gamma-ray transmission densitometer for marine sediments

The first-generation University of Illinois gamma-ray transmission densitometer, designed for the in situ measurement of sediment bulk density, was modified by incorporating in the detector probe (1) an Americium-241 alpha particle pulser and an anti-walk gain stabilization control to maintain better temperature stability and (2) a small power supply and a IC preamplifier to eliminate the need for a high-voltage coaxial cable between the detector and external signal conditioning electronics package. This second-generation Lehigh University system has been successfully deployed since 1971 in routine use from ships and submersibles in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. Results are presented of system operations to (1) measure bulk density over the range of 1.2–1.8 Mg/m³ in the Hudson Canyon, (2) penetrate 1.9 m into the seafloor in the San Diego trough and, (3) be lowered to a water depth of 3.6 km in the Gulf of Mexico.     

Phylogeography of the pelagic fish Seriola lalandi at different scales: confirmation of inter-ocean population structure and evaluation of southern African genetic diversity

The study investigated the global and regional phylogeography of the yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi by examining genetic diversity and population genetic structure of this species at inter-and intra-ocean level and on a regional scale. DNA fragments of two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome b (Cytb) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and one nuclear gene, recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1), were sequenced to investigate the global-scale phylogeography of this species. The population genetic structure within the South Pacific, as well as along the South African coastline, was examined further using six microsatellite markers. Three distinct clades were identified for S. lalandi, which correspond with previously described subspecies of the North-East Pacific, North-West Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere. Within the latter, additional divergence was observed between the South Pacific and the South-East Atlantic regions. Divergence estimates were indicative of a Pacific origin for S. lalandi populations, because of Pleistocene vicariant events. Microsatellite analyses revealed overall significant genetic differentiation between South African and South Pacific samples. This corroborates recent findings on the global phylogeography of the species. No population differentiation was observed within South Africa, indicating high levels of gene flow.     

Seasonally and spatially referenced estimates of recreational shore-angling effort,catch composition,catch rates and total catch in the Goukamma Marine Protected Area,South Africa

A roving creel survey of the recreational shore fishery along the 16.4-km coastline in the Goukamma Marine Protected Area on the south coast of South Africa was conducted from 2009 to 2011. Some 838 patrols were stratified equally among months, areas and years, but intentionally biased towards weekends. Angler densities at Buffalo Bay and Groenvlei were 0.59 and 0.28 anglers km?1, respectively. Weekend densities were double to quadruple weekday densities and fishing during winter was more popular than during summer. Area, habitat and distance to access points explained variation in angler densities. Shannon–Wiener diversity in catches declined from 2.18 in an earlier (1993–2002) survey to 1.79. Although the order of species abundance in the catches remained largely unchanged, blacktail Diplodus capensis dominance increased to 57.3% by number, at the expense of galjoen Dichistius capensis. Habitat explained 27% of the variance in catch composition. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) for the top nine species ranged from 0.19 to 6.35 fish 100-h?1. The CPUE of all species, except spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii, declined. Blacktail and galjoen CPUE declined by 17% and 77%, respectively. The total catch estimate was 2 986 fish y?1. Transgressions of size limits were common. The results suggest that the fishery is overexploited and that catch rates are declining.     

Diet and gill morphology of the East Coast redeye round herring Etrumeus wongratanai off KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

Stomach content analyses and measurements of gillraker morphology were used to assess the diet and feeding ecology of the East Coast redeye round herring Etrumeus wongratanai and provide data for comparisons with other small pelagic fishes off South Africa. Samples were collected by jigging from a kayak off Scottburgh, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), over the period July 2013–May 2014. In total, 66 stomachs (containing 4 407 prey items) and 66 gill arches were examined. Stomach content analyses indicated that East Coast redeye round herring, at the time of sampling, fed on large (1 500–2 500?µm) particles, with ～2 500?µm particles making the greatest contribution to dietary carbon. The species feeds on larger particles than do anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax, but on particles of a similar size to those consumed by West Coast redeye round herring Etrumeus whiteheadi. There were significant differences in mean gillraker gaps between East Coast redeye round herring and both sardine and anchovy, but not between East Coast and West Coast redeye round herring. The differences in gillraker gaps between East Coast redeye round herring, sardine and anchovy are indicative of resource partitioning through differential feeding, based on zooplankton size. The data suggest that there is no resource partitioning between East and West coast redeye round herring, indicating that competition is likely to occur between them. However, such competition is minimised by limited spatial overlap between these two species.     

A search for previously unrecognized metal-poor subdwarfs in the Hipparcos astrometric catalogue

We have identified 317 stars included in the Hipparcos astrometric catalogue that have parallaxes measured to a precision of better than 15 per cent, and the location of which in the ( M _V ,( B − V ) _T ) diagram implies a metallicity comparable to or less than that of the intermediate-abundance globular cluster M5. We have undertaken an extensive literature search to locate Strömgren, Johnson/Cousins and Walraven photometry for over 120 stars. In addition, we present new UBV ( RI )_C photometry of 201 of these candidate halo stars, together with similar data for a further 14 known metal-poor subdwarfs. These observations provide the first extensive data set of R _C I _C photometry of metal-poor, main-sequence stars with well-determined trigonometric parallaxes. Finally, we have obtained intermediate-resolution optical spectroscopy of 175 stars.
47 stars still lack sufficient supplementary observations for population classification; however, we are able to estimate abundances for 270 stars, or over 80 per cent of the sample. The overwhelming majority have near-solar abundance, with their inclusion in the present sample stemming from errors in the colours listed in the Hipparcos catalogue. Only 44 stars show consistent evidence of abundances below [Fe/H]=−1.0 . Nine are additions to the small sample of metal-poor subdwarfs with accurate photometry. We consider briefly the implication of these results for cluster main-sequence fitting.