Seasonal Changes in the Biochemical Composition of the Edible Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus Echinodermata: Echinoidea in a Lagoonal Environment

Abstract. Monthly soluble and insoluble protein, carbohydrate, lipid and ash levels and energetic content were measured in tissues of Paracentrotus lividus adults living in a lagoonal environment over a 1-year period to increase our understanding of resource allocation to the different tissues. The biochemical composition of P. lividus individuals in this environment is similar to that observed in other environments. The gonad and gut contained a high level of proteins soluble or insoluble, a lesser amount of lipids and, finally, a low level of carbohydrates. The main component of the test was ash, followed by protein levels. The lipid and carbohydrate levels in the test were very low. Seasonal variability in the biochemical composition of the different body parts was observed. In the gonad, an increase in the level of lipids was recorded concomitant to an increase in gonad weight. The lipids and carbohydrates, after an initial increase, decreased with the maturation of the gonad. The biochemical variations observed in the gut seem to be linked to both the reproductive cycle and the sea urchin's trophic activity. Variability in the test was low and irregular for all of the observed biochemical components. As P. lividus is an important member of the benthic community in the Urbinu lagoon, this echinoid represents an important store of materials and energy within this lagoonal environment.     

Hydrodynamic time parameters response to meteorological and physical forcings: toward a stagnation risk assessment device in coastal areas

Ocean Dynamics - Identifying zones of stagnation and deposition of terrigenous matter or contaminants induced by human activity is a key issue in coastal areas. In this paper, circulation processes...     

Insights into the formation of rock varnish in prevailing dusty regions

The characteristics of rock varnish from the Campo de Piedra Pomez (CPP, Andes Argentina) provides new insights into the development of rock varnish under severe dusty conditions. The CPP varnish has been analysed using SEM‐EDAX and Raman techniques. The rock coating is tens of microns in thickness and under the microscope shows a micro to cryptocrystalline appearance and a general granular texture. Silica (quartz, cristobalite and amorphous silica) is the main phase forming these coverings followed by Al, K and Na compounds. Minor Fe oxides and Mn oxides are the source for the orange (Fe) and brown (Fe and Mn) hues of the coating. The results obtained for the CPP coating show that desert varnish developed under dusty circumstances does not have the appearance of typical rock varnish. Textural characteristics include high crystallinity and granular arrangement of the components. Moreover the absence of typical microlaminations is related to the presence of aeolian mineral grains which inhibit their development. The main mechanism of formation of rock varnish under such environmental circumstances is the direct incorporation of aeolian mineral grains into the varnish. However, other physicochemical processes are also required to explain the formation of varnish components such as amorphous silica or iron oxides phases. Although the development of the desert varnish may act as a protector of the underlying pyroclastic rock, the extreme and persistent windy conditions in the CPP field are high enough to weather and erode not only the rock coating but also the original ignimbrite. As other warm desert sites on Earth, the CPP area can also be considered as possible terrestrial analogue to Mars. Some environmental attributes might be similar to those expected on the Martian surface and thus, textural similarities between the CPP varnish and the rock varnish‐like coating of Mars are likely. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluating proxies for estimating subaerial beach volume change across increasing time scales and various morphologies

Proxies, such as changes in beach profiles and shoreline positions, are commonly used in management and research for estimating changes in subaerial beach volume; however, the accuracy of these proxies across increasing time scales and complex morphologies is unclear. Volume changes associated with along‐beach morphologic variability may not be captured well by changes in profiles, while volume changes associated with across‐beach morphologic variability may not be captured well by measuring shoreline change. This study assesses the impacts of morphologic variations, associated with beach cusps and nourishment material, on volume change estimates from profiles and shoreline change at 0.5 to 3.5 year time periods. Results indicate that profiles spaced ≥ 150 m apart and the shoreline‐change proxy will likely estimate volume change inaccurately over periods ≤ 1 year at beaches that are consistently eroding or accreting and contain cusps. However, over longer time periods (1–3.5 years), estimates of volume change from both proxies improved at those types of beaches. Volume changes at the edges of nourishment areas are not captured well by profiles. When the nourishment material is graded to a ramped morphology, which minimizes across‐beach morphologic variability, the shoreline‐change proxy does accurately estimate volume changes. Both proxies estimate volume changes inaccurately at beaches where volume changes oscillate between erosion and accretion on both short and long time scales because the magnitude of small‐scale changes in volume from the formation and erosion of morphologic features, such as cusps and berms, will always be similar to the longer‐term net volume change. This study suggests that decadal records of shoreline change, which are commonly developed using aerial photography, can be used to help identify the best proxy for estimating volume change; however, recent anthropogenic modifications that impact patterns of beach sedimentation, including nourishment, terminal groins, and inlet‐channel dredging, makes decadal records less useful. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparative study of fuzzy evidential reasoning and fuzzy rule-based approaches: an illustration for water quality assessment in distribution networks

This paper presents the use of two multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) frameworks based on hierarchical fuzzy inference engines for the purpose of assessing drinking water quality in distribution networks. Incommensurable and uncertain water quality parameters (WQPs) at various sampling locations of the water distribution network (WDN) are monitored. Two classes of WQPs including microbial and physicochemical parameters are considered. Partial, incomplete and subjective information on WQPs introduce uncertainty to the water quality assessment process. Likewise, conflicting WQPs result in a partially reliable assessment of the quality associated with drinking water. The proposed methodology is based on two hierarchical inference engines tuned using historical data on WQPs in the WDN and expert knowledge. Each inference engine acts as a decision-making agent specialized in assessing one aspect of quality associated with drinking water. The MCDM frameworks were developed to assess the microbial and physicochemical aspects of water quality assessment. The MCDM frameworks are based on either fuzzy evidential or fuzzy rule-based inference. Both frameworks can interpret and communicate the relative quality associated with drinking water, while the second is superior in capturing the nonlinear relationships between the WQPs and estimated water quality. More comprehensive rules will have to be generated prior to reliable water quality assessment in real-case situations. The examples presented here serve to demonstrate the proposed frameworks. Both frameworks were tested through historical data available for a WDN, and a comparison was made based on their performance in assessing levels of water quality at various sampling locations of the network.     

Fluoride Biomonitoring around a Large Aluminium Smelter Using Foliage from Different Tree Species

In order to study the pollution gradient in the vicinity of a large aluminium production facility in Patagonia (Argentina), a passive biomonitoring was performed employing foliage from three tree species. Primary scope was to identify pollution gradients and to select suitable tree species which can be used as biomonitor plants in the study area. Therefore, leaves of Eucalyptus rostrata, Populus hybridus and different needle ages of Pinus radiata were collected at different distances from the industry and the fluoride concentration was analysed in washed and unwashed samples in order to determine the amount of external fluoride. Washing reduced the F‐concentrations by 24, 39 and 51% on average in E. rostrata, P. hybridus and P. radiata, respectively, indicating that species‐specific characteristics determine the accumulation and wash‐off of dust‐associated fluorine. F‐concentrations varied from 6 to 3652 ppm F in unwashed samples indicating a steep pollution gradient in the study area. The influence of F‐emissions was discernible in all samples up to a distance of 3500 m from the smelter. E. rostrata accumulated more fluorine than the other species at equal distance from the emission source. The present study confirms that aluminium smelting results in high F deposition in the study area. Establishing a biomonitor network around large emitters is suitable and feasible to evaluate the efficiency of air control measures.     

Space–time evolution of monogenetic volcanism in the mafic Garrotxa Volcanic Field (NE Iberian Peninsula)

We reconstructed the evolution of the volcanic activity within the central Garrotxa monogenetic Volcanic Field, the youngest volcanic area of the Iberian Peninsula, by investigating the stratigraphy of the volcanic successions and the morphology of the monogenetic eruptive centres. Analysis of this volcanic succession has been conducted following the Unconformity Bounded Stratigraphic Units criteria. The detailed stratigraphy of the volcanic successions shows that the central Garrotxa Volcanic Field (GVF) evolved through four main periods of volcanic activity (Synthems) represented by the eruptive products of the mafic monogenetic volcanoes and associated syn-eruptive reworked deposits (Eruptive Units) and by the inter-eruptive deposits (Epiclastic Units). The distribution and the morphologies of the monogenetic volcanoes suggest that feeder dykes were emplaced under influence of the present stress filed and along pre-existing fractures of the basement. Our facies analysis of the deposits and their distribution shows that migration of volcanism toward the centre of the basin was accompanied by a trend of increasing explosivity. Episodic hydromagmatism in central Garrotxa occurred without a specific geographic locus or obvious temporal correlation. Finally, by integrating field data with the stratigraphy extracted from water wells, we determined the volume of the volcanic deposits. The small average volume of products emitted during each eruptive period, and the long quiescence separating them, allow us to classify the GVF as a low-output rate volcanic field.     

The use of radon as tracer in environmental sciences

Radon can be used as a naturally occurring tracer for environmental processes. By means of grab-sampling or continuous monitoring of radon concentration, it is possible to assess several types of dynamic phenomena in air and water. We present a review of the use of radon and its progeny at the University of Cantabria. Radon can be an atmospheric dynamics indicator related with air mass interchange near land-sea discontinuities as well as for the study of vertical variations of air parameters (average values of different types of stability: 131–580 Bq m^?3). Concerning indoor gas, we present some results obtained at Altamira Cave (Spain): from 222 to 6549 Bq m^?3 (Hall) and from 999 to 6697 Bq m^?3 (Paintings Room). Finally, variations of radon concentration in soil (0.3 to 9.1 kBq m^?3) and underground water (values up to 500 Bq l^?1) provide relevant information about different geophysical phenomena.