Distribution of ciliates in relation to environmental factors along the coastline of the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia

We studied the seasonal distribution of the ciliate community coupled with environmental factors along the coast at three stations sampled (from March 2006 to February 2007) in the Gulf of Gabes (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea). A total of 56 species belonging to 11 orders, were identified. Harbor of Gabes station was more diversified (45 species) than both Tabia (26 species) and Karboub (31 species) stations. The ciliate assemblage was numerically dominated by Spirotrichea in Tabia (82% of the total abundance), in the Harbor of Gabes (86% of the total abundance), whereas, in Karboub, Spirotrichea represented only 40% of the total abundance. The unexpected lower quantitative importance of Spirotrichea in Karboub station was apparently the result of the high salt concentration found in water samples throughout the study, probably originating from the saline area surrounding Karboub station, known as Sabkha. The distribution of species in the nearshore of the Gulf of Gabes seemed most likely influenced by the combined effects of temperature, salinity and hydrographic conditions.     

The concept of ecological succession applied to phytoplankton over four consecutive years in five ponds featuring a salinity gradient

The distribution of phytoplankton abundance, biomass and species composition coupled with environmental factors and metazooplankton was studied relatively intensively and over a period of four consecutive years in five ponds featuring a gradient of increasing salinity from near to that of sea water to a nine-fold concentration from 2000 to 2003. The results indicate that the physical characteristics of the water (temperature and salinity) were quite similar over the years. Nutrients, which were concentrated in pond A1, decreased with increases in salt concentration. The composition of the phytoplankton community showed strong seasonality. Diatoms dominated in the first ponds A1, A16 and C2-1, followed by dinoflagellates. Chlorophyceae dominated the phytoplankton community in the hypersaline ponds M2 and TS. Cyanobacteriae were relatively abundant in ponds M2 and TS. The highest phytoplankton density and biomass were found in the ponds with the highest salinity due to the proliferation of Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyta: Volvocales). The inter-annual study of phytoplankton succession in the Sfax solar salterns showed slight differences among the years of study due to the stability of the environmental conditions. Phytoplankton communities were permanently primitive, stage 1 – structured as they failed to build complexity because of salt stress which operates for longer and above any other variables. This reduced frequency of disturbance to the existing course of regulation, allowed the community to “mature” from its “primitive” state, rather than experience frequent structural setbacks.     

Age and growth of the pufferfish Uranostoma richei (Plectognathi: Lagocephalidae) from Lyttelton Harbour

Abstract

The age of pufferfish Uranostoma richei (Freminville) in Lyttelton Harbour, South Island, New Zealand is described from analyses of length‐frequency distributions and growth zones in otoliths. Length‐frequency analysis is adequate only for aging smaller fish. The validity of using growth zones in otoliths is checked by examining the pattern and time of zone formation. Length‐weight relationships are established and growth rates calculated. Compared with males, females grow faster (2.4cm·y^?1; 2.1 for males), attain a larger size (to 18 cm and 120 g; 12 cm and 40 g for males) and live longer (to 7 y; 5 for males).     

Solar shield: forecasting and mitigating space weather effects on high-voltage power transmission systems

In this paper, central elements of the Solar Shield project, launched to design and establish an experimental system capable of forecasting the space weather effects on high-voltage power transmission system, are described. It will be shown how Sun–Earth system data and models hosted at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) are used to generate two-level magnetohydrodynamics-based forecasts providing 1–2 day and 30–60 min lead-times. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) represents the end-user, the power transmission industry, in the project. EPRI integrates the forecast products to an online display tool providing information about space weather conditions to the member power utilities. EPRI also evaluates the economic impacts of severe storms on power transmission systems. The economic analysis will quantify the economic value of the generated forecasting system. The first version of the two-level forecasting system is currently running in real-time at CCMC. An initial analysis of the system’s capabilities has been completed, and further analysis is being carried out to optimize the performance of the system. Although the initial results are encouraging, definite conclusions about system’s performance can be given only after more extensive analysis, and implementation of an automatic evaluation process using forecasted and observed geomagnetically induced currents from different nodes of the North American power transmission system. The final output of the Solar Shield will be a recommendation for an optimal forecasting system that may be transitioned into space weather operations.     

Hydrogeological investigation of groundwater artificial recharge by treated wastewater in semi-arid regions: Korba aquifer (Cap-Bon Tunisia)

Korba aquifer is one of the most typical examples of overexploited coastal aquifer in the Mediterranean countries. In fact, from 1985, a considerable piezometric level drop, water salinization, and seawater intrusion were registered in the aquifer. In December 2008, Tunisian authorities initiated a general plan to groundwater management in order to augment groundwater resources, restore the piezometric levels, and improve water quality. The plan consists of artificial recharge of groundwater used treated wastewater through three infiltration basins. During the first 4 years (from December 2008 to December 2012), 1.41 Mm³ of treated wastewater was injected to the Korba aquifer. This study presents a hydrogeological assessment of groundwater evolution during the recharge processes. In this study, 32 piezometric and chemical surveys of 70 piezometers and observed wells are used to present hydrogeological investigation and water quality evolution of wastewater reuse through artificial recharge in Korba coastal aquifer. The piezometric evolution maps are used to specify the positive effect in groundwater level that exceeding 1.5 m in some regions. The interpretation of salinity evolution maps are used to indicate the improving of groundwater quality.     

3D Elastic Solutions for Laterally Loaded Discs: Generalised Brazilian and Point Load Tests

This paper investigates the application of a double Fourier series technique to the construction of an elastic stress field in a cylindrical bar subject to lateral boundary loads. The lateral loads, including the constant load boundary conditions, are represented by two Fourier series: one on the perimeter of the circular section (r ₀, θ) and the other on the longitudinal curved surface parallel to the bar axis (z). The technique invokes acceptable potential functions of the Papkovich–Neuber displacement field, satisfying the governing partial differential equations, to assign appropriate odd and even trigonometric Fourier terms in cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, z). The generic solution decomposes the problem of interest to a state of stress caused by two independent boundary conditions along the z axis and θ-polar angle, both superimposed on a solution for which these potentials are the product of the trigonometric terms of the independent variables (θ, z). Constants appearing in the resultant second-order partial differential equations are determined from the generally mixed (tractions and/or displacements) boundary conditions. While the solutions are satisfied exactly at the ends of an infinite bar, they are satisfied weakly on average, in the light of Saint Venant’s approximation at the two ends of a finite bar. The application of the proposed analysis is verified against available elastic solutions for axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric engineering problems such as the indirect Brazilian Tensile Strength and Point Load Strength tests.     

Tensile Fracture Strength of Brisbane Tuff by Static and Cyclic Loading Tests

This research presents the results of laboratory experiments during the investigation of tensile strength–strain characteristics of Brisbane tuff disc specimens under static and diametral cyclic loading. Three different cyclic loading methods were used; namely, sinusoidal cyclic loading, type I and II increasing cyclic loading with various amplitude values. The first method applied the stress amplitude?cycle number (s–n) curve approach to the measurement of the indirect tensile strength (ITS) and fracture toughness (K _IC) values of rocks for the first time in the literature. The type I and II methods investigated the effect of increasing cyclic loading on the ITS and K _IC of rocks. For Brisbane tuff, the reduction in ITS was found to be 30 % under sinusoidal loading, whereas type I and II increasing cyclic loading caused a maximum reduction in ITS of 36 %. The maximum reduction of the static K _IC of 46 % was obtained for the highest amplitude type I cyclic loading tested. For sinusoidal cyclic loading, a maximum reduction of the static K _IC of 30 % was obtained. A continuous irreversible accumulation of damage was observed in dynamic cyclic tests conducted at different amplitudes and mean stress levels. Scanning electron microscope images showed that fatigue damage in Brisbane tuff is strongly influenced by the failure of the matrix because of both inter-granular fracturing and trans-granular fracturing. The main characteristic was grain breakage under cyclic loading, which probably starts at points of contact between grains and is accompanied by the production of very small fragments, probably due to frictional sliding within the weak matrix.     

Yield Forecasting of Spring Maize Using Remote Sensing and Crop Modeling in Faisalabad-Punjab Pakistan

Real time, accurate and reliable estimation of maize yield is valuable to policy makers in decision making. The current study was planned for yield estimation of spring maize using remote sensing and crop modeling. In crop modeling, the CERES-Maize model was calibrated and evaluated with the field experiment data and after calibration and evaluation, this model was used to forecast maize yield. A Field survey of 64 farm was also conducted in Faisalabad to collect data on initial field conditions and crop management data. These data were used to forecast maize yield using crop model at farmers’ field. While in remote sensing, peak season Landsat 8 images were classified for landcover classification using machine learning algorithm. After classification, time series normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) of the surveyed 64 farms were calculated. Principle component analysis were run to correlate the indicators with maize yield. The selected LSTs and NDVIs were used to develop yield forecasting equations using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Calibrated and evaluated results of CERES-Maize showed the mean absolute % error (MAPE) of 0.35–6.71% for all recorded variables. In remote sensing all machine learning algorithms showed the accuracy greater the 90%, however support vector machine (SVM-radial basis) showed the higher accuracy of 97%, that was used for classification of maize area. The accuracy of area estimated through SVM-radial basis was 91%, when validated with crop reporting service. Yield forecasting results of crop model were precise with RMSE of 255 kg ha^?1, while remote sensing showed the RMSE of 397 kg ha^?1. Overall strength of relationship between estimated and actual grain yields were good with R² of 0.94 in both techniques. For regional yield forecasting remote sensing could be used due greater advantages of less input dataset and if focus is to assess specific stress, and interaction of plant genetics to soil and environmental conditions than crop model is very useful tool.     

Elastoplastic analysis of jointed rocks using a coupled finite element and boundary element method

This paper presents a coupled, elastoplastic, finite element and boundary element method for the two-dimensional, non-linear analysis of anisotropic jointed rock. The non-linear and anisotropic behaviour of a jointed rock mass is simulated by representing the mass as an equivalent anisotropic, elastoplastic continuum, so that the influence of the jointing system is ‘smeared’ across the continuum, i.e. the individual joints are not modelled as discrete entities. Numerical examples have been solved to verify the capability, accuracy and efficiency of the present technique. The proposed technique has also been applied to the analysis of tunnel excavation problems in plane strain. The effects of anisotropy and non-linearity of the jointed rock mass during excavation have been investigated in some detail.