Anthropogenic organic contaminants in water, sediments and benthic organisms of the mangrove-fringed Segara Anakan Lagoon, Java, Indonesia

Segara Anakan, a mangrove-fringed coastal lagoon in Indonesia, has a high diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates and is increasingly affected by human activities. We found >50 organic contaminants in water, sediment and macrobenthic invertebrates from the lagoon most of which were polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Composition of PACs pointed to petrogenic contamination in the eastern lagoon. PACs mainly consisted of alkylated PAHs, which are more abundant in crude oil than parent PAHs. Highest total PAC concentration in sediment was above reported toxicity thresholds for aquatic invertebrates. Other identified compounds derived from municipal sewage and also included novel contaminants like triphenylphosphine oxide. Numbers of stored contaminants varied between species which is probably related to differences in microhabitat and feeding mode. Most contaminants were detected in Telescopium telescopium and Polymesoda erosa. Our findings suggest that more attention should be paid to the risk potential of alkylated PAHs, which has hardly been addressed previously.     

Possible role of oceanic heat transport in early Eocene climate

Increased oceanic heat transport has often been cited as a means of maintaining warm high-latitude surface temperatures in many intervals of the geologic past, including the early Eocene. Although the excess amount of oceanic heat transport required by warm high latitude sea surface temperatures can be calculated empirically, determining how additional oceanic heat transport would take place has yet to be accomplished. That the mechanisms of enhanced poleward oceanic heat transport remain undefined in paleoclimate reconstructions is an important point that is often overlooked. Using early Eocene climate as an example, we consider various ways to produce enhanced poleward heat transport and latitudinal energy redistribution of the sign and magnitude required by interpreted early Eocene conditions. Our interpolation of early Eocene paleotemperature data indicate that an approximately 30% increase in poleward heat transport would be required to maintain Eocene high-latitude temperatures. This increased heat transport appears difficult to accomplish by any means of ocean circulation if we use present ocean circulation characteristics to evaluate early Eocene rates. Either oceanic processes were very different from those of the present to produce the early Eocene climate conditions or oceanic heat transport was not the primary cause of that climate. We believe that atmospheric processes, with contributions from other factors, such as clouds, were the most likely primary cause of early Eocene climate.     

Spatial modeling of environmental vulnerability of marine finfish aquaculture using GIS-based neuro-fuzzy techniques

Combining GIS with neuro-fuzzy modeling has the advantage that expert scientific knowledge in coastal aquaculture activities can be incorporated into a geospatial model to classify areas particularly vulnerable to pollutants. Data on the physical environment and its suitability for aquaculture in an Irish fjard, which is host to a number of different aquaculture activities, were derived from a three-dimensional hydrodynamic and GIS models. Subsequent incorporation into environmental vulnerability models, based on neuro-fuzzy techniques, highlighted localities particularly vulnerable to aquaculture development.The models produced an overall classification accuracy of 85.71%, with a Kappa coefficient of agreement of 81%, and were sensitive to different input parameters. A statistical comparison between vulnerability scores and nitrogen concentrations in sediment associated with salmon cages showed good correlation.Neuro-fuzzy techniques within GIS modeling classify vulnerability of coastal regions appropriately and have a role in policy decisions for aquaculture site selection.     

江苏省国土资源厅赴北欧地热利用培训团活动剪影

2009年10月,江苏省国土资源厅副厅长刘聪率团赴瑞典、冰岛进行友好访问,重点考察这两个国家在地热资源勘察、开发利用方面的先进技术及管理经验,为科学利用、管理江苏地热资源和促进地热产业发展开拓思路。     

Macrobenthic associations in a South Atlantic Brazilian enclosed bay: the historical influence of shrimp trawling

This study characterized the macrobenthos of Tijucas Bay and related the distribution and dominance patterns with historical trawling activities. Fifteen sampling sites were established in the bay and were sampled in summer and winter for the characterization of the macrobenthos. To evaluate the trawling effects, three passages were established at each site with control and impacted areas analyzed before and after trawl-net action in impacted area. Seasonal differences occurred in macrobenthos, possibly influenced by rainfall where the relative water level of the Tijucas River was directly associated with the discharge of freshwater and particulate matter. The associations identified in the bay were distinct in comparison with the Zimbros Embayment. The trawling assessment showed no significant variation in the macrobenthos after the trawl, possibly due to decades of shrimp exploitation in the bay. Trawling and instable environmental conditions inside the bay make the establishment of a stable macrobenthic community difficult.     

Forecasting models to quantify three anthropogenic stresses on coral reefs from marine recreation: anchor damage, diver contact and copper emission from antifouling paint

This research focuses on damage to coral reefs from three anthropogenic stresses: the dropping of anchors and their chains, human contact, and emission of copper from antifouling paints. Forecasting models are described that quantify degradation in terms of percentage of coral cover damaged/year or increasing levels of water toxicity/year. The models utilize a Monte Carlo simulation that applies a range of values or a probability distribution to each of the numerous uncertain variables. This model has the flexibility to adapt, and become more accurate, when users input assumptions specific to their diving sites. Given our specific assumptions for a frequently visited site, anchors and their chains forecast a distribution of coral reef cover damage with a mean of 7.11%+/-4.77%, diver contact forecast a distribution of coral reef cover damage with a mean of 0.67%+/-0.38%, and antifouling paint forecast a distribution of copper level increase in the water with a mean of 0.037+/-0.014ppb. The results support recommendations for the implementation and sustained use of several specific marine recreation practices.     

Comparison of metal accumulation between 'Artificial Mussel' and natural mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) in marine environments

The passive sampler called 'Artificial Mussel' (AM) developed by Wu et al. (2007) can provide a time-integrated estimate of metal concentrations in the marine environment, and offers a potential device to assess and compare metal concentration in different marine environments worldwide. The aim of this study was to compare metal accumulation on AM and natural mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis at three sites with different metal loads along the Portuguese coast for four months. M. galloprovincialis were placed in cages alongside AMs at each site. Samples were collected monthly and Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in whole soft tissues and AMs compared. For both Cu and Cd, the results were similar between AMs and natural mussels. Higher concentrations of Zn were observed in natural mussels, whereas the inverse was shown for Pb (about 10-fold higher). Our results showed that AMs are promising tools for assessing metal concentrations in marine environments.     

Hydraulic tomography for detecting fracture zone connectivity

Fracture zones and their connectivity in geologic media are of great importance to ground water resources management as well as ground water contamination prevention and remediation. In this paper, we applied a recently developed hydraulic tomography (HT) technique and an analysis algorithm (sequential successive linear estimator) to synthetic fractured media. The application aims to explore the potential utility of the technique and the algorithm for characterizing fracture zone distribution and their connectivity. Results of this investigation showed that using HT with a limited number of wells, the fracture zone distribution and its connectivity (general pattern) can be mapped satisfactorily although estimated hydraulic property fields are smooth. As the number of wells and monitoring ports increases, the fracture zone distribution and connectivity become vivid and the estimated hydraulic properties approach true values. We hope that the success of this application may promote the development and application of the new generations of technology (i.e., hydraulic, tracer, pneumatic tomographic surveys) for mapping fractures and other features in geologic media.