Diatom quantification and their distribution with salinity brines in coastal sediments of Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica)

Benthic diatoms represent an important element of global nutritional productivity; to raise attention on their role, which is often neglected due to analytical difficulties, surface (1 cm top layer) coastal sediments from Gerlache inlet to Penguin Bay at Terra Nova Bay were collected and stored at -20 °C. DNA amplification by real-time PCR, based on diatom-specific oligonucleotide primers designed on small-subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA), was performed in addition to diatom conventional cell counting and spectrophotometric determination of photo-pigments. Moreover, cations and anions were determined in sediments with the aim to identify factors involved in the control of diatom abundance. Diatom distribution was found quite heterogeneous displaying significant differences from site to site. The salinity in sediments ranged from 45.1 at Gerlache inlet to 76.2 at Penguin Bay and it was correlated with cell abundance, biodiversity, amount of pigments and amplified DNA. The dominant species, Fragilariopsis curta, was associated to sediment salinity brines.     

Integration of biochemical, histochemical and toxicogenomic indices for the assessment of health status of mussels from the Tamar Estuary, U.K

The aim of this study was to examine whether a combination of biochemical, histopathological and toxicogenomic data could be used as a valuable tool for the assessment of biological risk associated with pollutants within the Tamar River and Estuary, S.W. England, U.K. Accordingly, biochemical and histopathological biomarkers (protein carbonyls, lipofuscin, neutral lipids, lysosomal stability [N-acetyl-β-hexosaminidase and neutral red], lysosomal volume, ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] and malonaldehyde [MDA]) and gene expression profiles were assessed in 5 sites from the Tamar River and Estuary (Neal Point, Town Quay, Wilcove, Cremyll Ferry and Whitsand; and a reference site, Trebarwith Strand, N. Cornwall). PAHs were measured in mussel tissue and sediment and metals were measured in mussel tissue only. Data from the biomarkers was integrated into a Mussel Expert System (MES) model to produce a simple assessment of mussel stress. Clear gradients of mussel toxicity were identified by the biomarkers (with the exception of neutral lipids) with the highest impacted animals found furthest up the Tamar, whilst the MES was unable to identify a gradient of effect. Gene expression profiles also indicated a gradient of stress with the greatest number of significantly up- or down- regulated genes found at the uppermost 2 sites. The MES did, however, determine that mussels from all sites, except the reference site, were highly stressed; a conclusion that could not be inferred from the biomarker data alone. It is concluded that the MES is a valuable tool that permits integration and interpretation of complex sets of biomarker data by identifying the biological meaning of biomarker changes.     

Recovery of the macrozoobenthic community after severe dystrophic crises in a Mediterranean coastal Lagoon (Orbetello, Italy)

The Orbetello lagoon, one of the largest Western Mediterranean lagoons, was affected by high algal blooms and severe anoxic crises in 1992 and 1993, with fish mortality throughout most of the lagoon and a drastic reduction of benthic species. Many measures were undertaken between 1994 and 1996 to remove the severe eutrophication of this lagoon. Such measures included harvesting of the floating seaweed biomass, removal of all wastewater and sea channel enlargement by dredging activity. The aim of the present research was to study the macrozoobenthic assemblage in 1999 and to compare it with previous research in order to assess the recovery of the lagoon. A total of 106 taxa and 45,175 individuals were collected in three areas (sea inlets, western and eastern lagoon) having different organic matter loading during winter and summer. The results of multivariate and correlation analyses indicated that trophic status and its seasonal dynamics were crucial in determining species distribution among the different areas. Moreover, comparison of the macrozoobenthic structure between winter 1995 and 1999 showed differences in species composition and structural parameters in the western and eastern lagoon, where a clear recovery of benthic assemblages was observed in 1999. However, the dominance of opportunistic species in most of the lagoon and the decrease in some structural parameters during summer suggested that this basin still presented signs of disturbance in 1999, six years after the last extended anoxic crises and even after completion of the restoration measures carried out in the environment. It was hypothesized that a secondary disturbance, sustained by a high seasonal release of nutrients from the sediments, could create considerable deviations from the expected improvement in benthic conditions.     

Desertification of Mediterranean rocky reefs caused by date-mussel, Lithophaga lithophaga (Mollusca: Bivalvia), fishery: effects on adult and juvenile abundance of a temperate fish

Macroalgal beds in temperate rocky habitats provide shelter and food for many adult reef fishes and their juvenile stages. In the Mediterranean Sea, the fishery of the endolithic date-mussel Lithophaga lithophaga (which involves dismantling of rocky substrates inhabited by these bivalves) may cause formation of barrens in shallow rocky reefs. Preliminary data collected in SW Apulia (SE Italy) show that rocky reefs impacted by this destructive fishery display different distribution patterns of adult Coris julis (a common labrid fish in the Mediterranean basin), and lower abundance of juveniles. The ecological implications of date-mussel fishery for dynamics of fish populations and rocky-reef ecosystem functioning (e.g., nursery role) are discussed.     

Geology and Human Relations in the Upper Huangho Region

1. The different geological formations and their ecouomie sigmficances. (a)Alluvium (b)Loess (c)Red beds (d)Upper coal series and Sandstone formations (e)Lower coal series (f)Metamorphic series     

Wind and freshwater influence over hydrocarbon dispersal on Patos Lagoon, Brazil

The two-dimensional barotropic, hydrodynamic and transport model MOHID is applied to the Patos Lagoon system using a nested modelling approach to reproduce both the lagoon and estuary hydrodynamics. A new Lagrangian oil spill model is presented and used to simulate a hypothetical oil spill in the estuary. Hydrodynamic fields are validated and used to force the oil model. Results show that the hydrodynamics of this system is mainly controlled by the wind and freshwater discharge. The dispersion, concentration and thickness evolution of the oil in the first day after the spill is determined by the equilibrium between these two factors. The freshwater discharge is the major factor controlling the oil dispersion for discharges greater than 5000 m3 while the wind assumes control for lower discharge amounts. The results presented are a first step toward a coastal management tool for the Patos Lagoon.     

An assessment of an oil spill in Gladstone, Australia - impacts on intertidal areas at one month post-spill

In January 2006, 25 tonnes of heavy fuel oil spilled into the Port of Gladstone in Queensland, Australia, from the breached hull of a bulk carrier ship. Over the following days, approximately 18 tonnes of the oil was recovered, however a certain amount of oil was deposited in the intertidal areas of Port Curtis leaving a highly visible, viscous residue. The objectives of this research were to assess the immediate impacts on the intertidal habitat and to gain baseline information for future comparative assessments. Sediment PAH and metal concentrations, mangrove communities and intertidal macroinvertebrates were assessed within one month post-spill at oil-impacted sites; adjacent sites which were not visibly impacted; and reference sites which were located outside the recorded distribution of the oil spill. Highest PAH concentrations were found at the impacted sites, with concentrations of some PAHs exceeding Australian and New Zealand Sediment Quality Guidelines (ANZECC/ARMCANZ, 2000). These sites contained very few or no crab holes in the high intertidal area, indicating a low crab density in comparison to reference sites. Little immediate impact was evident on the mangrove and macrobenthic communities, however future surveys may show evidence of longer-term impacts on these communities.     

与地震活动相关的电磁扰动的空间观测

介绍了地震附近甚低频（VLF）电磁波信号强度统计分析结果。统计数据全部来自法国的DEMETER卫星（轨道高度700km,近太阳同步轨道）,处理中采用了稳健的两步处理方法。第一步,利用所有的观测数据构建电磁辐射背景图,在给定条件和给定轨道位置对电场波动强度进行了统计描述。第二步,在第一步得到的电场波动强度的统计分布背景基础上,对地震附近的观测数据进行分析,研究由地震活动引起的电场波动强度的变化,评估它们在统计上的显著性。在整个分析过程中,我们总计使用了大于两年半的卫星观测数据,并对在此期间全球范围内发生的大约9000个震级大于或等于4．8的地震进行了统计分析。统计结果显示,在夜间时段,对于浅源地震（震源深度小于或等于40km）,在震前0～4小时的短时间内,电场波动强度会有4～6dB的显著降低。     

The overlooked role of the ocean in mercury cycling in the Arctic

The rapid and high bioaccumulation of mercury in marine mammals and its spatial and temporal variations have been a major puzzle in the Arctic. While extensive efforts have been focussed on the monitoring and chemistry of atmospheric mercury depletion events, a recent mass budget estimate of mercury in the Arctic suggests that we have overlooked the role of the ocean itself. Only through focussed studies on Hg dynamics in the Arctic Ocean under a changing climate are we going to understand what the risk of mercury is to those marine ecosystems and the people who rely on them.     

Simplified approach for design of raft foundations against fault rupture. Part Ⅱ： soil-structure interaction

This is the second paper of two, which describe the results of an integrated research effort to develop a four-step simplified approach for design of raft foundations against dip-slip （normal and thrust） fault rupture. The first two steps dealing with fault rupture propagation in the free-field were presented in the companion paper. This paper develops an approximate analytical method to analyze soil-foundation-structure interaction （SFSI）, involving two additional phenomena： （i） fault rupture diversion （Step 3）; and （ii） modification of the vertical displacement profile （Step 4）. For the first phenomenon （Step 3）, an approximate energy-based approach is developed to estimate the diversion of a fault rupture due to presence of a raft foundation. The normalized critical load for complete diversion is shown to be a function of soil strength, coefficient of earth pressure at rest, bedrock depth, and the horizontal position of the foundation relative to the outcropping fault rupture. For the second phenomenon （Step 4）, a heuristic approach is proposed, which ＂scans＂ through possible equilibrium positions to detect the one that best satisfies force and moment equilibrium. Thus, we account for the strong geometric nonlinearities that govern this interaction, such as uplifting and second order （P-△） effects. Comparisons with centrifuge-validated finite element analyses demonstrate the efficacy of the method. Its simplicity makes possible its utilization for preliminary design.