Diagnosis of trace metal contamination in sediments: the example of Ensenada and El Sauzal, two harbors in Baja California, Mexico

Total metal concentrations in sediments from within Ensenada and El Sauzal Harbors are generally higher than at the mouths. Grain-size analyses suggested that this enrichment could be due to the presence of fine-grained sediments in the inner part of the harbors rather than to anthropogenic perturbations. The (Me/Al)(sample) ratios for Pb, Co, Ni and Fe were significantly higher for Ensenada Harbor relative to El Sauzal Harbor, whereas the ratios for Cd, Mn, Zn and Cu were statistically equivalent for both harbors. Calculated enrichment factors [EF(Me)=(Me/Al)(sample)/(Me/Al)(shale)] indicated that the metals showing slight enrichment were those associated with anthropogenic contamination (Pb, Zn), or probably related to primary productivity in the water column (Cd, Co). The levels of most of the metals were not greatly enriched, a consideration that is of the utmost importance when contamination issues are at stake.     

Habitat continuity effects on gradients of fish biomass across marine protected area boundaries

Marine protected areas (MPAs) could be useful as fisheries management tools for the exportation of pelagic eggs, larvae and adult fish. A decreasing gradient of fish biomass across MPAs boundary may indicate export. We determine whether gradients of decreasing biomass of fish assemblage occurred in Tabarca Marine Reserve over two habitats with different continuity across the boundaries, to test if the patchy nature of the marine environment might act as a barrier for the fish export. In general, significant decreasing gradients in total fish biomass and biomass of some species were observed on P. oceanica and rocky substrates, independently of their different continuity through the reserve boundaries. Changes in the multivariate structure of the fish assemblage were correlated with the distance from integral reserve. All of these results support the hypothesis that the exportation of adult fish from Tabarca Marine Reserve occurs, and this process may influence the surrounding fished areas.     

Modelling of sediment movement in the surf and swash zones

Under the action of marine currents, non-cohesive sediments evolve by bed-load, by saltation or suspension depending on their granulometry. Several authors have considered that the movement of sediment...     

Can turbidity caused by Corophium volutator (Pallas) activity be used to assess sediment toxicity rapidly?

The standard toxicity test organism, Corophium volutator, exhibits a behavioural response to contaminated sediments that causes increased turbidity of overlying water. We quantify the effects of this response to an estuarine sediment spiked with copper and hydrocarbon contaminated sediments from an oil installation in the North Sea. Turbidity measured 24 h after the start of a toxicity test shows a strong relationship with contaminant concentrations and with mortality after 10 days. Turbidity measurements can therefore give a rapid indication of sediment toxicity, permitting a reduction in storage time of sediments to be used in dilution series and toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) tests, reducing the likelihood of contaminants degrading prior to testing.     

制图教育在俄罗斯各综合大学的学术与教学课题

制图学教育在俄罗斯高等综合大学已有65年的历史(1929～1994),早在1929年制图专业就已在莫斯科大学地理系创建。当今在俄罗斯培养高技能制图员的综合大学有莫斯科大学、圣彼得堡大学、伊尔库茨克大学、伊热夫斯克大学、萨兰斯克大学、特维尔大学以及最近(1994年)刚刚获得工程技术综合大学地位的老牌国家测量制图高等学校——莫斯科测绘学院。     

海平面变化研究进展

海平面变化研究进展Ｂ．Ｕ．Ｈａｑ海平面变化与大气、大洋和岩石圈体系的长期变化密切相关。这些体系的长期不稳定性可以引起大的海平面波动，这种波动的持续期较长，由数千年至数百万年。例如，自末次冰期极盛时结束以来，海平面升高约１１０ｍ。然而，大约４ｋａ前，全...     

白垩纪温度较冷的估价

白垩纪温度较冷的估价Ｂ．ｗ．Ｓｅｌｌｗｏｏｄ等有关白垩纪气候的概念部分基于详尽的地质证据，如不耐寒冷的古生物（如：珊瑚的分布比现在偏极地５－１５℃）和特殊气候条件的沉积相的广泛分布。这些资料的解释反映２１℃的等温线在纬度上至少向两极移动５°，全球的平...     

不同氮源对海洋微藻氮同位素分馏作用的影响

以海链藻(Thalassiosira pseudonana)为研究对象,分别考察了以硝酸盐、铵盐和尿素为氮源的氮同位素分馏作用。在建立相应理论模型基础上,分别计算出各个实验体系的ε值。结果表明,在藻类生长初期,δ^15N均较低,其δ^15N的积累主要发生在指数增长期,在稳定期达到最高,与氮源的初始δ^15N相同;不同氮源的氮同位素分馏作用也不相同,其中以铵盐最强,硝酸盐次之,尿素最弱。考虑到实际情况下氮化合物并非单一存在,作者还进一步考察了上述3种氮源混合后对其同位素分馏作用的影响,发现混合氮源体系的表观ε值介于单一氮源时的最大与最小ε值之间,该结果较好地解释了Montoya等(1991)在Chesapeak湾的现场实验结果。     

电热式雨强计

本文介绍一种具有对数响应特性的电热式降雨强度计,该仪器是根据使降落到感应器表面的雨水加热蒸发所需要的电功率,以连续测量0.3—350毫米/小时的降水速率。外场试验表明,此仪器与标准翻斗雨量计的观测结果一致。 1.工作原理这种电热降雨强度计是根据四十年代在飞机积冰现象的研究中使用的液态水含量电测仪器发展而来的,它可以检测落到仪器表面的雨水和云中的水通量。仪器有两个固定电位的金属电极,电极之间是一种多孔、吸