Multi-level assessment of chronic toxicity of estuarine sediments with the amphipod Gammarus locusta: I. Biochemical endpoints

We report on biomarker responses conducted as part of a multi-level assessment of the chronic toxicity of estuarine sediments to the amphipod Gammarus locusta. A companion article accounts for organism and population-level effects. Five moderately contaminated sediments from two Portuguese estuaries, Sado and Tagus, were assessed. Three of them were muddy and two were sandy sediments. The objective was to assess sediments that were not acutely toxic. Three of the sediments met this criterion, the other two were diluted (50% and 75%) with clean sediment until acute toxicity was absent. Following 28-d exposures, the amphipods were analysed for whole-body metal bioaccumulation, metallothionein induction (MT), DNA strand breakage (SB) and lipid peroxidation (LP). Two of the muddy sediments did not cause chronic toxicity. These findings were consistent with responses at organism and population levels that showed higher growth rates and improvement of reproductive traits for amphipods exposed to these two sediments. Two other sediments, one muddy and one sandy, exhibited pronounced chronic toxicity, affecting SB, MT induction (in muddy sediment), survival and reproduction. Potential toxicants involved in these effects were identified. The last sandy sediment exhibited some loss of DNA integrity, however growth was also enhanced. Present results, together with the organism/population-level data, and also benthic communities information, were analysed under a weight-of-evidence approach. By providing evidence of exposure (or lack of it) to contaminants in sediments, the biomarkers here applied assisted in distinguishing toxicants' impacts in test organisms from the confounding influence of other geochemical features of the sediments.     

S. E. M. analysis of quartz sand grains from selected Hong Kong and Chinese littoral environments

This pilot study attempts to demonstrate some underlying scanning electron microscopy themes of quartz grain surface textures. A variety of textural patterns and individual features are described for grains selected from various littoral environments. An attempt was made to differentiate samples on surface textures alone, but limitations of using this technique in sedimentological isolation were apparent. Statistical analysis of checklist data and photographic evidence revealed some of the more important feature combinations used in environmental diagnosis. The use of discriminant analysis provided quantitative sample separation.     

重量稀释的和浓缩的标准海水的电导率同盐度和温度的函数关系

在-2℃至35℃的整个海洋温度范围和0至42‰S盐度范围内测量准确已知盐度的海水样品电导率和同温度下标准海水电导率的比值R_(s.t.o)。盐度S<35‰的海水样品是由蒸馏水准确重量稀释标准海水制备的,快速蒸发标准海水制备高盐度海水样品继而重量稀释到已经确定的<35‰S范围。推导出了非常准确地表示1～42‰S和全部温度范围内的S与R_(s.t.o)关系式,即 S=f_1(R_(s.t.o)) f_2(R_(s.o,t.)t)=sum from n=0 to 5 a_1R~(a/2) △t/(1 k△t)sum from n=0 to 5 b_nR~(n/2)式中△t=t-15℃,R=R_(s.t.o),只有第一项f_1要求15℃。也确定了温度对标准海水电导率的影响,用t的四次方程非常准确地表示温度t时的电导率的比值的r_(tt)(C_(35.t.o)/C_(35.15.o)),即:(?)_t=sum from n=0 to 4 C_nt~n 这两个方程足以满足常压下所有盐度测量。     

Tributyltin and triphenyltin induce spermatogenesis in ovary of female abalone,Haliotis gigantea

Two-month flow-through exposure experiments of tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) were conducted with abalone, Haliotis gigantea. Nominal concentrations of 100 ng TBT/l and 100 ng TPhT/l caused significant spermatogenesis in ovaries of exposed females. There were also significantly more contracted primary oocytes observed in females exposed to either TBT or TPhT than controls. The incidence of two types of unknown cells was also significant in females exposed to TPhT. No significant histological changes were observed in testis of exposed males. This ovarian spermatogenesis caused by TBT and/or TPhT resembles gastropod imposex. Remarkably high concentrations of TBT and TPhT were observed in the head (including central nervous system ganglia), compared to muscles concentrations. Accumulation of TBT and TPhT in the head may disturb reproductive hormonal regulators through neuropeptides released from ganglia. This, as well as possible aromatase inhibition, may be one of the inducers for spermatogenesis in the abalone ovaries.     

A REVIEW OF THE RESOURCES OF THE ELASMOBRANCHIATEFISHES OF CHINA, WITH DISCUSSIONS ON THEPROBLEMS OF THEIR UTILIZATION

The paper is presented in four parts. The first part is introductory, dealing briefly with the characteristics, geographic distribution, life and habits, and methods of reproduction of the Elasmobranchiate fishes in general. The second part, which is the main theme of the paper, is intended to give a comprehensive review of the fisheries resources of the Chinese Elasmobranchiate fishes under nine principal divisions as follows:     

Minor constituents in the Martian atmosphere from the ISM/Phobos experiment

Global Martian atmospheric results derived from the infrared imaging spectrometer ISM flown aboard the Phobos 2 Soviet spacecraft are presented. Over low altitude regions the expected CO mixing ratio of (8 +/- 3) x 10(-4) is measured. Variations of the 2.35-micrometers feature are inconsistent with this value over the Great Martian Volcanoes. If the 2.35-micrometers band is entirely attributable to carbon monoxide, the CO mixing ratio is typically depleted by a factor of 3 over these high altitude areas. Orography should play a major role in the existence of this CO "hole." If, however, these spectral variations at 2.35 micrometers are due to the surface composition, the fraction of the surface covered by the responsible mineral must smoothly decrease as the surface elevation decreases. This phenomenon implies a strong interaction between the surface and the atmosphere for the Great Martian Volcanoes. Diurnal behavior and latitudinal variations of water vapor are globally consistent with Viking measurements. During the Phobos observations, the water vapor amounts over the bright equatorial regions range around 11 pr-micrometers during the day. These amounts are slightly larger than those inferred from 1976 to 1979. The lack of global dust storms during 1988-1989 could explain the enhancement of H2O in the atmosphere.     

Stokes二阶波作用下斜坡海床中盾构隧道周围砂土渗流压力响应分析

目前针对波浪作用下海底盾构隧道周围渗流场的既有理论研究一般将衬砌考虑为不透水介质,较少考虑隧道衬砌的渗透性,尤其是较少考虑海底斜坡地形下波浪非线性带来的影响。首先基于斜坡海床表面的动力边界条件,得到Stokes非线性波作用下自由海床的Biot固结孔压响应;其次,采用镜像法建立了由于隧道存在引起的砂土体摄动压力控制方程,并利用砂土与衬砌间渗流连续条件获得了该方程的Fourier级数展开解析解;接着,采用叠加原理得到了Stokes波作用下斜坡海床中隧道周围砂土的渗流压力响应解答;最后,将理论解析解与数值结果及已有的试验结果进行对比,获得了较好的一致性。此外,针对波浪敏感参数(波长、周期、形态)、海床敏感参数(海床渗透性、剪切模量、饱和度、坡度)及隧道敏感参数(衬砌厚度、渗透性、埋深)进行了影响因素分析。结果表明：随着波浪周期及波长增加,衬砌外超静孔压明显增加;随着水深沿斜坡方向减小,Airy波和Stokes波理论在适用范围内(d/L>0.125,d为海水深度,L为波长),获得的波浪压力差异明显增加,前者会低估隧道周围的超静孔隙水压力;当海床渗透系数较大时(k_s&...     

Characterizing hydraulic conductivity with the direct-push permeameter

The direct-push permeameter (DPP) is a promising approach for obtaining high-resolution information about vertical variations in hydraulic conductivity (K) in shallow unconsolidated settings. This small-diameter tool, which consists of a short screened section with a pair of transducers inset in the tool near the screen, is pushed into the subsurface to a depth at which a K estimate is desired. A short hydraulic test is then performed by injecting water through the screen at a constant rate (less than 4 L/min) while pressure changes are monitored at the transducer locations. Hydraulic conductivity is calculated using the injection rate and the pressure changes in simple expressions based on Darcy's Law. In units of moderate or higher hydraulic conductivity (more than 1 m/d), testing at a single level can be completed within 10 to 15 min. Two major advantages of the method are its speed and the insensitivity of the K estimates to the zone of compaction created by tool advancement. The potential of the approach has been assessed at two extensively studied sites in the United States and Germany over a K range commonly faced in practical field investigations (0.02 to 500 m/d). The results of this assessment demonstrate that the DPP can provide high-resolution K estimates that are in good agreement with estimates obtained through other means.     

Defining and detecting undesirable disturbance in the context of marine eutrophication

An understanding of undesirable disturbance to the balance of organisms is needed to diagnose marine eutrophication as defined by EU Directives and OSPAR. This review summarizes the findings of the UK Defra-funded Undesirable Disturbance Study Team, which concluded that 'an undesirable disturbance is a perturbation of a marine ecosystem that appreciably degrades the health or threatens the sustainable human use of that ecosystem'. A methodology is proposed for detecting disturbance of temperate salt-water communities dominated by phytoplanktonic or phytobenthic primary producers. It relies on monitoring indicators of ecosystem structure and vigour, which are components of health. Undesirable disturbance can be diagnosed by accumulating evidence of ecohydrodynamic type-specific changes in: (i) bulk indicators; (ii) frequency statistics; (iii) flux measurements; (iv) structural indicators; and (v) indicator species. These are exemplified by (i) chlorophyll, transparency, dissolved oxygen, and opportunistic seaweed cover; (ii) HABs frequency; (iii) primary production; (iv) benthic and planktonic 'trophic indices'; (v) seagrasses and Nephrops norvegicus. Ecological Quality Objectives are proposed for some of these. Linking the diagnosis to eutrophication requires correlation of changes with nutrient enrichment. The methodology, which requires the development of a plankton community index and emphasizes the importance of primary production as an indicator of vigour, can be harmonized with the EU Water Framework Directive and OSPAR's Strategy to Combat Eutrophication.