Mussel fishery affects diet and reduces body condition of Eiders Somateria mollissima in the Wadden Sea

Although the Danish Wadden Sea is of international importance for several bird species, large-scale blue mussel Mytilus edulis fishing took place from 1984–1987, ceasing thereafter due to low mussel stocks. Mussel fishing removes much of the blue mussel biomass, especially larger individuals. Hence we predict that intensive mussel fishing will affect their predators, such as the Eider Somateria mollissima, which is predominantly a blue mussel feeder by, 1) reducing the amount of blue mussels in their diet relative to alternative prey items, 2) exploitation of smaller blue mussel shell classes, 3) loss of body condition, 4) changing feeding distribution to aggregate to the remaining mussel stocks, and 5) decreasing numbers. Before winter 1986/87 blue mussel biomass was estimated at 40,600 tons, decreasing to 15,400 tons in 1987/88 due to mussel fishery. We collected Eiders in both periods to monitor their diet and body mass and used aerial surveys to determine changes in numbers and distribution. Between the two periods, blue mussels declined in the Eiders diet, numbers of Eiders with empty stomachs increased and the mean length of blue mussel taken by Eiders decreased. Eider body condition declined from 1986/87 to 1987/88, mostly the result of the reduction in numbers of individuals with blue mussel remains in their gizzards and in better body condition compared to those taking alternative food items or having empty gizzards. Eiders shifted their distribution from the southern part of the Danish Wadden Sea to the northern part, where the remaining blue mussel stocks were situated. Eider numbers were lowest in 1987/88, the year of lowest blue mussel stocks. We conclude that intensive mussel fishery affected the Eider's diet, reduced their body condition and affected distribution and abundance. The results also showed that availability of blue mussels may have a key role in building up and maintaining body condition in Eiders during winter.     

北大西洋北部中全新世以来古海洋环境记录

利用主成分分析法对冰岛北部陆架 MD99-2275 孔中全新世以来沉积物硅藻数据进行研究发现,5 000 - 3 000 a B.P.,冰岛北部陆架表层古海水温度逐渐上升,来自印明格暖流的北大西洋暖水对该区域的影响有所增强.自 3 000 a B.P.以来,表层海水温度开始稳步下降,北大西洋暖水水团的影响逐步减弱,而来自东格陵兰寒流和东冰岛海流的极地冷水水团的影响显著加强.在晚全新世气候逐渐变冷的过程中,发生了几次短期而显著的气候变冷事件,分别出现在 3 000 - 2 600 a B.P.,1 300 - 1 000 a B.P.及 600- 200 a B.P..该中晚全新世古海洋环境记录与格陵兰冰芯(GSIP2)氧同位素气候记录存在良好的对应关系,也与冰岛北部陆架其他海水温度记录有较好的一致性.而冰岛北部陆架区域海底地形的复杂性和海流分布的差异性,以及所采用研究方法的不同则导致该区域各古海水温度记录之间也存在一定的差异性.     

The use of chemical dispersants to combat oil spills at sea: A review of practice and research needs in Europe

In order to better understand the practice of dispersant use, a review has been undertaken of marine oil spills over a 10 year period (1995-2005), looking in particular at variations between different regions and oil-types. This viewpoint presents and analyses the review data and examines a range of dispersant use policies. The paper also discusses the need for a reasoned approach to dispersant use and introduces past cases and studies to highlight lessons learned over the past ten years, focussing on dispersant effectiveness and monitoring; toxicity and environmental effects; the use of dispersants in low salinity waters; response planning and future research needs.     

Survival of lichens and bacteria exposed to outer space conditions - Results of the Lithopanspermia experiments

In the space experiments Lithopanspermia, experimental support was provided to the likelihood of the lithopanspermia concept that considers a viable transport of microorganisms between the terrestrial planets by means of meteorites. The rock colonising lichens Rhizocarpon geographicum and Xanthoria elegans, the vagrant lichen Aspicilia fruticulosa, and endolithic and endoevaporitic communities of cyanobacteria and bacteria with their natural rock substrate were exposed to space for 10 days onboard the Biopan facility of the European Space Agency (ESA). Biopan was closed during launch and re-entry. In addition, in the Stone facility, one sample of R. geographicum on its natural granitic substrate was attached at the outer surface of the re-entry capsule close to the stagnation point, only protected by a thin cover of glass textolite. Post-flight analysis, which included determination of the photosynthetic activity, LIVE/DEAD staining, and germination capacity of the ascospores, demonstrated that all three lichen were quite resistant to outer space conditions, which include the full spectrum of solar extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation or selected wavelength ranges. This high resistance of the lichens to space appears to be due to their symbiotic nature and protection by their upper pigmented layer, the cortex. In contrast, the rock- or halite-inhabiting bacteria were severely damaged by the same exposure. After atmospheric re-entry, the granite of the Stone sample was transformed into a glassy, nearly homogenous material, with several friction striae. None of the lichen cells survived this re-entry process. The data suggest that lichens are suitable candidates for testing the concept of lithopanspermia, because they are extremely resistant to the harsh environment of outer space. The more critical event is the atmospheric re-entry after being captured by a planet. Experiments simulating the re-entry process of a microbe-carrying meteoroid did not show any survivors.     

Depth-dependent sampling to identify short-circuit pathways to public-supply wells in multiple aquifer settings in the United States

Depth-dependent water-quality and borehole flow data were used to determine where and how contamination enters public-supply wells (PSWs) at study sites in different principal aquifers of the United States. At each of three study sites, depth-dependent samples and wellbore flow data were collected from multiple depths in selected PSWs under pumping conditions. The chemistry of these depth-dependent samples, along with samples of the surface discharge from the PSWs, was compared to that of adjacent nested monitoring wells. The results of depth-dependent analyses from sites in Modesto (California), York (Nebraska), and Tampa (Florida) are summarized and compared. Although the exact mechanisms for transport of contaminants to the PSWs varied among these hydrogeologic settings, in all three settings the presence of wells or boreholes or natural preferential flow paths allowed water and contaminants to bypass substantial portions of the aquifer and to reach PSWs or depths in the aquifer more quickly than would have occurred in the absence of these short-circuiting flow paths. The chemistry and flow data from multiple depths was essential to developing an understanding of the dominant flow paths of contaminants to PSW in all three settings. This knowledge contributes to developing effective strategies for monitoring and protection.     

Organic matter assimilation and selective feeding by holothurians in the deep sea: some observations and comments

The selective feeding behaviour and assimilation efficiencies of deep-sea holothurians were investigated in order to assess their impact on carbon and nitrogen remineralisation on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP; 49°N 16°W, 4850 m water depth). Unfortunately, reliable determination of organic matter in the gut contents of the organisms proved to be difficult, because of the lysis of cells associated with the death of the animals on recovery. This was expressed in high levels of free fatty acids in the gut contents of Oneirophanta mutabilis, which we ascribe to unregulated lipolysis of phospholipids and triacylglycerides. It was not possible to estimate accurately the contribution that such material made to the gut contents, but based on the distributions of sterols in the gut sediments, it is likely to have been substantial. Therefore, all assimilation efficiencies calculated for holothurians in the deep sea should be treated with caution.Fortuitously, a bloom of holothurians that feed on the sediment surface (namely Amperima rosea and Ellipinion molle) during the period of study provided an opportunity indirectly to assess the impact of megafauna on organic matter cycling at the PAP. Observations suggest that the depletion of phytosterols from the surficial sediments between July and October 1997 resulted from the selective uptake of fresh phytodetritus by the blooming species. Deep-sea holothurians do not biosynthesise sterols de novo and an estimate of the sterol required by the increased population of A. rosea and E. molle is equivalent to the sterol flux to the seafloor during the spring/summer of 1997. The implications are dramatic. Firstly, these and other megafauna apparently turned over and selectively removed phytosterols from the freshly arrived phytodetritus and the surficial sediment (0–5 mm) at the PAP in less than four months. Secondly, their action impacted the food resource available to other organisms. Finally, as phytosterols are expensive to biosynthesise and are apparently an important resource for holothurians, we speculate that the supply of these compounds to the sedimentary community may be one important control on their population in the abyssal ocean.     

The influence of morphology in determining the decomposition of two salt marsh macrophytes

Annual decomposition rates of Spartina alterniflora height forms and Juncus roemerianus were determined in situ in three North Carolina salt marshes using the litter bag method. The decomposition of Spartina was significantly influenced by size, i.e., height form, with the taller plants which had greater amounts of stem tissue, being more resistant to decay. Instantaneous decay rates for short and medium Spartina were not significantly different at any site, but they were both significantly greater than that of the tall form at two of the three study sites. Juncus decomposed more slowly than Spartina during the first 8 months, but had decomposed as completely as all three height forms of Spartina at two of the study sites by the end of the 13-month study period. Constant submergence appeared to inhibit decomposition since there was twice as much undecomposed plant material remaining in bags placed in tidal creeks as in those on the marsh surface.     

Dissolution of lead- and lead-arsenic-jarosites at pH 2 and 8 and 20 °C: Insights from batch experiments

Lead- and Pb-As-jarosites are minerals common to acidic, sulphate-rich environments, including weathering zones of sulphide ore deposits and acid rock or acid mine drainage (ARD/AMD) sites, and often form on or near galena. The structures of these jarosites are based on linear tetrahedral-octahedral-tetrahedral (T-O-T) sheets, comprised of slightly distorted FeO₆ octahedra and SO₄²⁻ (-AsO₄³⁻ in Pb-As-jarosites) tetrahedra. To better understand the dissolution mechanisms and products of the break down of Pb- and Pb-As-jarosite, preliminary batch dissolution experiments were conducted on synthetic Pb- and Pb-As-jarosite at pH 2 and 20 °C, to mimic environments affected by ARD/AMD, and at pH 8 and 20 °C, to simulate ARD/AMD environments recently remediated with slaked lime (Ca(OH)₂). All four dissolutions are incongruent. Dissolution of Pb-jarosite at pH 2 yields aqueous Pb, Fe and SO₄²⁻. The pH 8 Pb-jarosite dissolution yields aqueous Pb, SO₄²⁻ and poorly crystalline Fe(OH)₃, which does not appear to resorb Pb or SO₄²⁻, possibly due to the low solution pH (3.44-3.54) at the end of the experiment. The pH 2 and 8 dissolutions of Pb-As-jarosite result in the formation of secondary compounds (poorly crystalline PbSO₄ for pH 2 dissolution; poorly crystalline PbSO₄ and Fe(OH)₃ for pH 8 dissolution), which may act as dissolution inhibitors after 250 to 300 h of dissolution. In the pH 2 dissolution, aqueous Fe, SO₄²⁻ and AsO₄³⁻ also form, and in the pH 8 dissolution, Fe(OH)₃ precipitates then subsequently resorbs aqueous AsO₄³⁻. The dissolutions probably proceed by preferred dissolution of the A- and T-sites, which contain Pb, and SO₄²⁻ and AsO₄³⁻, respectively, rather than Fe, which is sterically remote, within the T-O-T Pb- and Pb-As-jarosite structures. These data provide the foundation necessary for further, more detailed investigations into the dissolution of Pb- and Pb-As-jarosites.     

Employability and flexible retirement: Variations in academia in an age of austerity

With both declining and ageing populations, countries are addressing the threats to their competitiveness by attracting more highly educated workers and by investing in human capital, especially through policies to increase the rates of participation by young people in tertiary education. As the population is still ageing, there are concerns over the affordability of state support for the elderly, their roles in society and the economy. Active and flexible lifestyles extend healthy life expectancy, so extending the length of the working life is increasingly seen as a way to ease the transition to an economy where an ageing population is affordable.Senior academic staff, exemplars of such post-industrial flexibility, have long been accommodated beyond the statutory retirement age. Their benign conditions of work; high private and social returns to experience and knowledge; and their high levels of those skills, labour power and other capacities which do not degenerate with age, combine to prolong the length of their effective working lives. Against this, as in other sectors, redundancies, voluntary severance and other schemes to reduce staffing have encouraged early retirement. Increased demand for higher education has driven changes in the lecturing labour mix, with increasing use of a peripheral workforce of both early career and retiring staff. This has seen semi-retirement within higher education evolving to stretch the period over which withdrawal takes place.In this context, the exploratory work reported here considers the initial responses by employers and trades unions in Scottish Higher Education to the abolition of the default retirement age and the introduction of ‘The Employment Equality (Repeal of Retirement Age Provisions) Regulations 2011’.