Nitrogen isotope ratios in estuarine biota collected along a nutrient gradient in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA

Stable nitrogen isotope ratios were used to study the incorporation of anthropogenically-derived nitrogen into the food webs of salt marsh systems along a contamination gradient in Narragansett Bay. Nitrogen isotope ratios (delta(15)N) were measured in six estuarine species collected from three marshes along this gradient, monthly from June to October between 1997 and 1999. A significant decrease in delta(15)N was found with distance along the estuary for four of the six species. Significant differences were found among monthly isotope ratios for some species. Nitrogen isotope ratios in sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) increased during the summer season with highest delta(15)N values measured during September and October. This trend was most pronounced at the station receiving the highest nutrient inputs. Elevated delta(15)N values at this station appeared to correlate with seawater ammonia/nitrate concentration ratios. The temporal variations in delta(15)N suggest that care should be taken in species selection and the design of sampling schemes of studies using delta(15)N for monitoring anthropogenic nutrients in aquatic systems. Sampling programs designed to determine long-term trends should consider species that do not show rapid fluctuations in isotope ratios. The mud snail, Nassarius obsoletus, responded this way in the present study. Studies designed to measure short-term changes should include species such as U. lactuca, which rapidly respond to isotope changes. The results from this study also help to establish a baseline for nitrogen isotope values in Narragansett Bay. This information can be used to monitor future trends in nitrogen inputs to this estuary.     

The ECOMAN project: A novel approach to defining sustainable ecosystem function

The ECOMAN was initiated in 2001 by the University of Plymouth, UK, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to address the need for more pragmatic assessment techniques linking environmental degradation with its causes. The primary aim of the project was to develop an evidence-based approach in which suites of easy-to-use, cost-effective and environmentally valid biological responses (biomarkers) could be used together to assess the health of coastal systems through the general condition of individuals. A range of sub-lethal endpoints, chosen to reflect successive levels of biological organisation (molecular, cellular, physiological), was evaluated in common coastal organisms showing different feeding types (filter feeding, grazing, predation) and habitat requirements (estuary, rocky shore). Initially, the suite of biomarkers was used in laboratory studies to determine the relative sensitivities of key species within different functional groups to common contaminants. These results were then validated in field studies performed in a range of ecosystems exhibiting different degrees/signatures of contamination. Here, an example is provided of a field study in the Humber Estuary, UK, which illustrates how multivariate statistical analysis can be used to identify patterns of response to discriminate between contaminated and clean sites. The use of a holistic, integrated approach of this kind is advocated as a practical means of assessing the impact of chemical contamination on organismal health and of ranking the status of marine ecosystems.     

基于多源遥感数据的玛纳斯河流域荒漠化监测

利用遥感手段对玛纳斯河流域绿洲-荒漠带的荒漠化状况进行监测。利用不同时期TM数据,在小尺度上分析该区域2000~2008年荒漠化土地的分布特征;基于MODIS陆地遥感产品(NDVI、Albedo及LST),利用多源信息复合法计算荒漠化程度指数;基于TM荒漠化监测结果对该指数进行分级处理,初步建立并验证基于MODIS数据的荒漠化监测评价模型。结果表明:近10 a来,绿洲外围荒漠化土地变化较小,大部分变化发生在绿洲内部,主要为局部荒漠化被开发或因盐碱化过重导致的撂荒;荒漠化监测评价模型对研究区荒漠化程度定量评价精度可达91.25%。     

基于SegNet＿CRF的遥感影像水体提取方法

水体的自动提取对于洪水监测、水资源管理等方面有着重要意义。本文提出了SegNet＿CRF语义分割方法,可从遥感影像上自动提取水体。首先,在SegNet编码器和解码器之间植入空洞卷积特征提取块,融合不同尺度的特征,然后在分类后处理中引入条件随机场,对提取结果进行精细化处理,最后与FCN、经典SegNet网络水体提取结果对比,结果表明,SegNet＿CRF网络结构在Recall、Precision以及F1-score指标上都有所提高,水体提取结果更加准确完整,抑制噪声能力更强。SegNet＿CRF网络可有效地实现水体提取任务。     

Isotopic mapping of groundwater perchlorate plumes

Analyses of stable isotope ratios of chlorine and oxygen in perchlorate can, in some cases, be used for mapping and source identification of groundwater perchlorate plumes. This is demonstrated here for large, intersecting perchlorate plumes in groundwater from a region having extensive groundwater perchlorate contamination and a large population dependent on groundwater resources. The region contains both synthetic perchlorate derived from rocket fuel manufacturing and testing activities and agricultural perchlorate derived predominantly from imported Chilean (Atacama) nitrate fertilizer, along with a likely component of indigenous natural background perchlorate from local wet and dry atmospheric deposition. Most samples within each plume reflect either a predominantly synthetic or a predominantly agricultural perchlorate source and there is apparently a minor contribution from the indigenous natural background perchlorate. The existence of isotopically distinct perchlorate plumes in this area is consistent with other lines of evidence, including groundwater levels and flow paths as well as the historical land use and areal distribution of potential perchlorate sources.     

东北季风期台湾海峡的逆温现象

利用2006-2008年3个航次水文资料,结合日本海洋数据中心(JODC)的历史温度数据分析了东北季风期台湾海峡的逆温现象。结果显示,除台湾浅滩及海峡西岸浅水区外,几乎整个台湾海峡皆有逆温现象。逆温幅度和发生频率在海峡西部较高,海峡东部及粤东近海较低。逆温层上界深度春季较秋、冬季深,逆温频发区(发生频率大于60%)随着季节南北向移动,秋季频发区的最南端位于厦门近海,冬季扩展至台湾浅滩北部,春季回退至平潭近海。分析表明,浙闽沿岸水随季节南北向伸缩导致了逆温频发区的同步移动。除了季节变化外,逆温现象在2006年和2007年冬季有显著差异,2006年逆温仅出现在海峡西部近岸海域,2007年扩展至海峡东部且向南伸至粤东近岸,浙闽沿岸水的横向伸缩是造成此差异的主因。     

Spatial patterns of chemical contamination (metals, PAHs, PCBs, PCDDs/PCDFS) in sediments of a non-industrialized but densely populated coral atoll/small island state (Bermuda)

There is a recognized dearth of standard environmental quality data in the wider Caribbean area, especially on coral atolls/small island states. Extensive surveys of sediment contamination (n = 109 samples) in Bermuda revealed a wide spectrum of environmental quality. Zinc and especially copper levels were elevated at some locations, associated with boating (antifouling paints and boatyard discharges). Mercury contamination was surprisingly prevalent, with total levels as high as 12 mg kg⁻¹ DW, although methyl mercury levels were quite low. PAH, PCB and PCDD/PCDF contamination was detected a several hotspots associated with road run-off, a marine landfill, and a former US Naval annexe. NOAA sediment quality guidelines were exceeded at several locations, indicating biological effects are possible, or at some locations probable. Overall, and despite lack of industrialization, anthropogenic chemicals in sediments of the atoll presented a risk to benthic biodiversity at a number of hotspots suggesting a need for sediment management strategies.