The age as a diagnostic of the dynamics of marine ecosystem models

The constituent-oriented age theory (CAT) worked out by Delhez et al. (1999) is a flexible tool that can be applied to diagnose complex models. It is shown here how this can be used to quantify the pace at which an ecosystem model works. At the cost of the introduction of one additional evolution equation for each compartment of the ecosystem model, the mean age of the biological material forming these compartments can be computed. The information obtained in this way complements the information provided by the concentration data; while the latter measures the standing stocks, the former provides an integrated assessment of the interaction rates and matter fluxes. The benefits of the method are demonstrated with a simple Lotka–Volterra system and a one-dimensional vertical model of the nitrogen cycle in the Ligurian Sea. The theory can be used to study the biological compartments individually or the ecosystem as a whole. In particular, the age is a valuable tool to quantify the overall cycling rate of nitrogen in the food web.Responsible Editor: Phil Dyke     

Light curves of the eclipsing systems of RS CVn-type

This work presents the light curves for rotating spotted stars generated by a computational code developed by us. This code is based in a model of the system and its analytical solution. The work also present an analysis of the photometric curve variations with the changes in the model's parameters.As a first result we have simulated a temporal evolution of the light curve when the photospheric spot varies its size and position and we reproduced some observational light curves of the II Peg star.Work supported by Dirección de Investigación, Universidad de La Serena, Chile.     

Assessment of a new solution for tracking pebbles in rivers based on active RFID

Low‐frequency passive integrated transponders (PIT tags), are commonly used for monitoring pebble mobility in gravel‐bed rivers. Although early studies reported high recovery rates for PIT tags used in small streams, recovery rates in larger systems remain low, substantially limiting the possibilities for their use in such rivers. These low recovery rates are potentially due to missed detections caused by tag signal collision, burial in the sediment layer deeper than the maximum detection range and insufficient (but still exhausting) field effort to cover the concerned areas. A potential solution for addressing these problems is to use active ultra‐high frequency (a‐UHF) transponders as these have a greater detection range and anti‐collision protocols. In order to assess the potential of such transponders for pebble tracking in rivers, we used 433.92 MHz COIN‐ID and COIN‐HC models (ELA Innovation Company, Montpellier, France). We completed several tests to (i) characterize transponder detection ranges in the water and in saturated sediment and (ii) develop field protocols for locating tags by combining global positioning systems (GPS) sites and transponder received signal strength indication (RSSI) levels. The results showed that (i) the maximum detection ranges are about 2.4 m in the water column and more than 2.6 m in a column of saturated gravelly‐sandy sediment, (ii) RSSI spatial interpolation can be used to determine transponder position with good accuracy (< 1 m), (iii) the desired minimal level of accuracy can be adjusted depending on in‐field effort and signal impulse interval, (iv) the RSSI maximal value observed cannot yet be used to determine transponder burial depth because of the multipath propagation of radio frequencies and the semi‐directional emission of the tag signal. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The evolution of massive close binaries

The results of evolutionary computations for massive binary systems (initial masses of the primary 10M ) with mass ratios between 0.3 and 0.8 are summarized and compared with observations in order to verify how far one can go with the conservative assumption of mass exchange. It is found that conservative mass exchange leads to acceptable first-order models of W-R and massive X-ray binaries. However, the comparison between this theory and observation reveals that for the observed systems (W-R and X-ray binaries) a preference exists for low intial mass ratios; moreover, the X-ray luminosities of the theoretical models are systematically too low, though this may be due to the adopted wind model. In addition, the influences of several parameters (distance between the components, chemical composition, primary mass, mass ratio and atmosphere) are examined. These parameters influence the remnant mass and any further evolution only marginally. Attention is also given to the effect on the system parameters of a supernova explosion of the remnant of the mass-losing component. For a large range of systems a disruption probability smaller than 25% is found.     

Uvaichnites riojana: A new crane-like bird ichnotaxon from the lower Miocene of La Rioja (Ebro Basin,Spain)

A new bird ichnotaxon found in Cenicero (La Rioja, Ebro Basin, Spain) is described here. The footprints are preserved in sandstone beds in a central-distal alluvial fringe with a mud-dominated floodplain, located in the transition unit between the Nájera and Haro formations. This level is positioned between the Y and Z local Agenian biozones (lower Miocene). The footprints were preliminarily studied in another work and considered as an indeterminate ichnotaxon. Uvaichnites riojana ichnogen. nov. and ichnosp. nov. is a tridactyl footprint characterized by a prominent central pad, very large to enormous sized, with unjointed toes at the proximal end. These features differ from Aquatilavipes, Aviadactyla, Avipeda, Ludicharadripodiscus, Fuscinapeda, and Ornithotarnocia of the Avipedidae morphofamily. U. riojana is considered to be similar to common crane (Grus grus) footprints in the Gruidae family. There are a few references about this family in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands and this find could confirm the presence of Gruidae since at least the lower Miocene.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their methoxylated analogs in mullet (Mugil cephalus) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from Bizerte Lagoon, Tunisia

Concentrations of ten polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and eight methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) in mullet (Mugil cephalus) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) collected from the Bizerte Lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea were investigated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of these compounds in marine fishes from Tunisia. The PBDE mean concentrations in fish from Bizerte Lagoon were 45.3 and 96.2 ng g(-1) lw respectively in mullet and sea bass, while the concentrations of these compounds in mullet and sea bass from Mediterranean Sea were 7.80 and 27.9 ng g(-1) lw respectively. MeO-PBDE concentrations in mullet and sea bass from Bizerte Lagoon ranged from 6.46 to 286 ng g(-1) lw and from 49.4 to 798 ng g(-1) lw respectively, while the concentrations of these compounds in mullet and sea bass from Mediterranean Sea ranged from 190 to 401 ng g(-1) lw and from 353 to 578 ng g(-1) lw respectively. The total PBDEs and total MeO-PBDEs concentration in fish from Bizerte Lagoon were similar or slightly lower than those reported for other species from other locations around the world.     

230Th-238U radioactive disequilibria in tholeiites from the FAMOUS zone (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 36°50′N): Th and Sr isotopic geochemistry

We analyzed, U, Th and²³⁰Th/²³²Th activity ratios for a few tholeiites from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge FAMOUS zone at 36°50′N. The results show a fairly wide scatter for both Th/U and (²³⁰Th/²³²Th) ratios. Seawater contamination appears to be responsible for this scatter and, for the uranium, produces an increase in content yielding a (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) ratio greater than 1 and, for the Th, an increase of the (²³⁰Th/²³²Th) ratio which is a very sensitive indicator for contamination. Also, the latter often is selective: U, Th and Sr are not affected in the same manner.When discarding all data for contaminated samples, the FAMOUS zone appears to be very homogeneous with aTh/U ratio value of 3.05 and a (²³⁰Th/²³²Th) ratio value of 1.24. Comparison with other active volcanic areas reveals a negative correlation between (²³⁰Th/²³²Th) and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios for present lavas which is indicative of a consistency in Th-U and Rb-Sr fractionation in the source regions of these magmas. The Th isotopic geochemistry can thus provide useful information for the study of present volcanism, information as valuable as that from Sr, Pb or Nd isotopes.     

Chemical signature of intermediate water masses along western Portuguese margin

Although the circulation of intermediate water masses in the eastern North Atlantic remains poorly defined, the presence of fresher intermediate waters, the Sub-Artic (SAIW) and the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), as well the saline intermediate Mediterranean Water (MW), has been tracked using biogeochemical properties. Here we assess the hydrographic and chemical structures of intermediate waters along the western Portuguese margin by examining the vertical distributions and property-property plots of chemical tracers (oxygen and nutrients). AAIW was traced by low oxygen and high nutrients, while SAIW was recognized by low nutrients. The Mediterranean Water (MW) undercurrent is shown to spread towards the eastern flank of Gorringe bank. Concurrently, the fresher waters gained salt by direct incorporation of MW, while this water was enriched in nutrients on its way northward and westward owing, to a great extent, to the entrainment of an AAIW branch. The distributions of nutrients and apparent oxygen utilization are discussed in terms of regional ocean circulation. Our analysis suggests a circulation pattern of the various intermediate waters along the western Portuguese margin: MW extends all over the area, but its presence is more pronounced around cape St. Vincent; SAIW apparently moves southward, reaching the Gorringe bank region, and AAIW flows northward along the coast and around the bank.     

A brief catalogue of failures: Framing evaluation and learning in fisheries resource management

We propose a framework for enabling a systematic evaluation of a fisheries resource management system, which we define as a feed-back mechanism coupled to a fishery. The resource management system includes four basic functions: diagnostics, intervention, goal setting, and decision making. This model allows for the development of an evaluation framework for fisheries resource management by facilitating a typology of failures. We suggest that the potential for systemic and interdisciplinary learning will be significantly enhanced through the process of developing such a framework.     

Book reviews

Climate change in contrasting river basins: adaptation strategies for water, food and environment. Edited by J Aerts and P Droogers. Published in 2004 by CABI Publishing, 288 p., hardcover. ISBN: 0–85199–835–6. Price: US$100 (orders: services@dadirect.com.au).

Australian water bugs. Their biology and identification (Hemiptera‐Heteroptera, Gerromorpha &; Nepomorpha). By Nils M Andersen? and Tom A Weir. Published in 2004 by CSIRO Publishing/Apollo Books, P.O. Box 1139, Collingwood, VIC 3066, Australia. 344 p., hardcover. ISBN: 0–643–090517. Price: AU$135.00 (orders: publishing.sales@csiro.au).

The Lakes Handbook. Volume I: Limnology and Limnetic Ecology. Volume II: Lake restoration and rehabilitation. Edited by Patrick O'Sullivan and Colin Reynolds. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 109 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JF, United Kingdom (http//www.blackwellpublishing.com). Volume I (published in 2003) 712 p., hardcover. ISBN: 0632047976. Price: £125. Volume II (published in 2004) 568 p., hardcover. ISBN: 063204795X. Price: £125.