Resource decline and adaptation through time: Fishers in San Miguel Bay, Philippines, 1980–1993

This article examines social conditions in a bay experiencing population growth, gear conflict, overfishing, and general resource decline. Sample surveys of fishing households carried out in 1980 and 1993 in nine villages of San Miguel Bay reveal patterns of continuity and change. The key continuity is sustained overall population growth in fishing villages. Among the key forms of change are those which demonstrate a degree of adaptation to resource decline: decreased participation in fishing; greater reliance of fishing households on nonfishing income; increased dependence on remittances of nonhousehold children; increased participation of women in nonhousehold labor; and dramatic growth in the number of fishing organizations involved in resource management. The findings suggest that resource management policies should be patterned after spontaneous adaptations to resource decline.     

Contaminant concentrations and toxicity of sea-surface microlayer near Los Angeles, California

Sea-surface microlayer samples were collected from six nearshore areas receiving different amounts of anthropogenic inputs. The samples were analyzed for selected trace metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The relative toxicities of the samples were determined with fish embryo bioassays.Contaminant concentrations generally increased from offshore to the inshore stations. Contaminant concentrations were several orders of magnitude higher in microlayer samples from the highly industrialized Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors compared to samples from a site 15km offshore. Microlayer samples from the inshore stations were significantly more toxic, and induced significantly more developmental abnormalities and chromosome aberrations, than samples from the offshore stations.     

Influences of wave stretching on the response of wave-excited offshore platforms

Critical examinations are reported for the effects of wave stretching on realistic representations of the wave forces that act on offshore structures. Examinations are also made for the importance of such effects on the corresponding structural responses, and it is demonstrated that the effects of stretching on the governing wave forces and the resulting structural responses are small, indicating that they can be ignored in design practice. Valuable insight is further provided into the definition of the wave excitation, and physical interpretations are made which show that the actions of stretching cannot materially influence the governing excitation and the corresponding structural response.     

黄河口及渤海中南部沉积物工程特性及其机理

采用Ｋａｓｔｅｎ取样器从黄河口及渤海湾中南部海底沉积物中取样，对样品通过土工性质、微结构研究以及粘土矿物分析，阐明本研究区三维空间展布的海底沉积物形成机理及其工程地质规律，论证水动力作用和斜坡不稳定性对工程特性和微结构的重要影响．     

Remote determination of momentum-flux profiles in the lower atmospheric boundary layer

An acoustic locator—a sodar—is a unique instrument for getting the objective characteristics of the current state of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) owing to a combination of such properties as remoteness, mobility, resolution, and information content. This study demonstrates the capabilities of a sodar to obtain data on the second moments of the field of wind-velocity fluctuations, in particular, the profiles of momentum flux in the lower ABL, which are very important in practical applications. A corresponding method is described, and the results of its experimental verification and some examples of its application under the conditions of different ABL stratification are presented.     

Trace metals in the Western Pacific: temporal and spatial variability in the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Mn and Ni

Profiles of total dissolvable Cd, Cu, Mn and Ni are reported for samples collected from the southwest Pacific in 1989, from the western equatorial Pacific along 155°E at 5°S, 0° and 5°N in 1990 and 1993, and along the equator from 143°E to 152°E and in the Bismarck Sea in 1997 and 2000. Profiles of Cd along 155°E in 1990 and along the equator were essentially the same but, in 1993, Cd values at 5°N were higher by a factor of about 1.5–2 than at 5°S over the depth range 500–1500 m. Similar, but less pronounced, differences were observed for PO₄ and Ni. Cd and Ni were both strongly correlated with PO₄, and an even stronger correlation was found between Ni and Cd. The concentration of Ni did not fall below ≈2 nmolkg⁻¹, even in the nitrate-depleted waters of the western equatorial Pacific, where primary production is strongly dependent on recycled nitrogen (mainly ammonia and urea). It is proposed that this residual Ni is not bioavailable and that Ni could be biolimiting, since the metabolism of urea requires the nickel-containing enzyme urease. The impact of the Sepik River on Cd, Cu and Ni concentrations was small but elevated concentrations of Mn were observed near the Sepik River and close to the coast suggesting that the rivers and sediments on the north coast of New Guinea are a significant local source of Mn to the Bismarck Sea. Simple mass balance calculations show that the elevated levels of Mn observed in the Equatorial Undercurrent cannot be due to input from the rivers of New Guinea and they were attributed to the trapping of particulate matter due to strong current shear. A strong hydrothermal source of Mn was observed in the central Bismarck Sea.     

Magnetic studies over the northern extension of the Prathap Ridge complex,eastern Arabian Sea

The northern parts of the Prathap and Laccadive Ridge system, eastern Arabian Sea, consist of three parallel basement ridge peaks at varied depths. The topographic highs are associated with either well-developed or subdued magnetic signatures. Model studies, constrained by seismic results, determine the varied nature and depth to the top of the causative basement bodies. Similarities of the geophysical signatures of the ridges and their structural resemblance perhaps point to their common origin. Hence we propose that the Prathap Ridge complex may be a part of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge system and formed because of the Reunion hotspot activity.     

Short period internal waves over the Huanghe (Yellow River) delta front

Internal waves with periods of about 5 minutes and trough to crest heights of up to 6.2 m were observed acoustically over the actively accreting delta front of the Huanghe (Yellow River) in the western portion of the Gulf of Bohai, Peoples Republic of China. The radian frequency of the internal waves was close to the locally-observed Brunt-Vaisala frequency. Through the relatively short (one hour) duration of an internal wave train, the amplitude was observed to decrease progressively with time. These internal waves may cause resuspension of delta-front sediments.