Ocean urea fertilization for carbon credits poses high ecological risks

The proposed plan for enrichment of the Sulu Sea, Philippines, a region of rich marine biodiversity, with thousands of tonnes of urea in order to stimulate algal blooms and sequester carbon is flawed for multiple reasons. Urea is preferentially used as a nitrogen source by some cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates, many of which are neutrally or positively buoyant. Biological pumps to the deep sea are classically leaky, and the inefficient burial of new biomass makes the estimation of a net loss of carbon from the atmosphere questionable at best. The potential for growth of toxic dinoflagellates is also high, as many grow well on urea and some even increase their toxicity when grown on urea. Many toxic dinoflagellates form cysts which can settle to the sediment and germinate in subsequent years, forming new blooms even without further fertilization. If large-scale blooms do occur, it is likely that they will contribute to hypoxia in the bottom waters upon decomposition. Lastly, urea production requires fossil fuel usage, further limiting the potential for net carbon sequestration. The environmental and economic impacts are potentially great and need to be rigorously assessed.     

Towards a more ecologically relevant assessment of the impact of heavy metals on the photosynthesis of the seagrass,Zostera capricorni

This in situ study used photosynthetic activity (measured as chlorophyll a fluorescence) and photosynthetic pigment concentrations to assess the effect of copper, cadmium, lead and zinc on the seagrass Zostera capricorni. Custom-made portable in situ exposure (PIE) chambers were developed so seagrasses could be dosed within the meadow. Z. capricorni was exposed to 0.1 and 1 mg l⁻¹ of metal solutions for 10 h. During this time and for the subsequent four-day recovery period, the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (PS II) (ΔF/Fm^′) was measured. While the results were variable, copper and zinc exposed samples had a depressed ΔF/Fm^′ during the exposure period. Samples exposed to zinc recovered to pre-exposure levels but those exposed to copper did not. Cadmium and lead did not impact on the chlorophyll a fluorescence and the chlorophyll pigment data supported these findings. This study presents an innovative new application of chlorophyll a fluorescence stress assessment.     

Influence of the Pearl River estuary and vertical mixing in Victoria Harbor on water quality in relation to eutrophication impacts in Hong Kong waters

This study presents water quality parameters such as nutrients, phytoplankton biomass and dissolved oxygen based on 11 years of water quality data in Victoria Harbor and examined how the Pearl River estuary discharge in summer and year round sewage discharge influenced these parameters. Nutrients in Victoria Harbor were strongly influenced by both the Pearl River and sewage effluent, as indicated by the high NO(3) inputs from the Pearl River in summer and higher NH(4) and PO(4) in Victoria Harbor than both its sides. N:P ratios were low in the dry season, but increased to >16:1 in the wet season, suggesting that P is potentially the most limiting nutrient in this area during the critical period in the summer. Although there were generally high nutrients, the phytoplankton biomass was not as high as one would expect in Victoria Harbor. In fact, there were high concentrations of chl near the bottom well below the photic zone. Salinity near the bottom was lower in Victoria Harbor than at the two entrances to Victoria Harbor, suggesting strong vertical mixing within Victoria Harbor. Therefore, strong vertical mixing and horizontal advection appear to play an important role in significantly reducing eutrophication impacts in Victoria Harbor. Consequently, dissolved oxygen near the bottom was low in summer, but only occasionally dipped to 2 mgL(-1) despite the high organic loading from sewage effluent.     

Biochemical biomarkers in adult female perch (Perca fluviatilis) in a chronically polluted gradient in the Stockholm recipient (Sweden)

A battery of biochemical biomarkers and the SigmaPCB concentration in adult female perch (Perca fluviatilis) verified an aquatic pollution gradient with the city of Stockholm (Sweden) as a point source of anthropogenic substances. The investigation included both an upstream gradient, 46 km westwards through Lake M?laren, and a downstream gradient, 84 km eastwards through the Stockholm archipelago. Besides the main gradient from Stockholm, there were strong indications of pollution coming from the Baltic Sea. The results indicated a severe pollution situation in central Stockholm, with poor health status of the perch, characterised by increased specific EROD activity in the liver, increased liver EROD somatic index, decreased AChE activity in the muscle, increased amount of DNA adducts in the liver, and a high concentration of biliary 1-pyrenol. In addition, laboratory exposure to common EROD inducers elicited an abnormal response, suggestive of chronic intoxication.     

剪切带中的褶皱

剪切带中的褶皱是很普遍的,它们或者形成于被剪切带所切割的早期层理中,或者是由剪切带本身所产生的叶理所形成。褶皱既可以被动地形成也可以主动地形成(通过纵向弯曲或其它不稳定类型)。剪切带中被动型褶皱的最简单样式是由剪切带中的剪切梯度造成的“S”叶理弯曲。剪切带中的早期层理在剪切作用中是被拉伸成为石香肠还是缩短成纵弯褶皱要取决于该层理与剪切带边界的交角,Ramsay(1980,图3)曾对此进行了大量的研究。简单剪切产生的片理化糜棱叶理。如果它反映的是剪切带累积应变的XY面(X≥Y≥Z指定了主应力方面和应力大小),将会与剪切或或剪切带边界成45°夹角,并继续加强、拉伸和向着平行剪切带壁方向旋转。这绝不是流动变形领域里的缩短机制。应力很强时,叶理会变得几乎平行剪切带的边界,而这个边界在简单剪切作用中是一个非常形面。因此,剪切带内的褶皱不可能在由简单剪切所形成的叶理中。     

粘着动力学反馈在熔体晶体振荡型环带生长中的作用

熔体中固溶体端元组分的粘着(attachment)动力学可导致自组织的振荡分带发生,这一过程是通过晶体生长化学动力学相关的反馈来实现的。这种振荡分带是直接从熔体中结晶的,而没有外部施加的周期性物质状态(压力、温度或组分)干预。本文提出了一个在熔体中晶体生长的数学模型,拓扑学的证据已证明该模型可以适用于晶体的振荡分带。同时,本文还提供了若干特征类型的振荡环带剖面,业已证明,分又分析可被用于获得振荡分带存在的判据。