Removal fluxes of Mn and Fe from the nearshore waters along the west coast of Taiwan

Dissolved and particulate Mn and Fe in the nearshore waters were determined at 27 stations along the west coast of Taiwan during 19-23 November 2004. The latitudinal distributions of Mn and Fe were very similar; however, the concentration in the dissolved phase was lower, whereas that in the particulate phase was higher in the northern regime. The higher percentage of Fe than Mn that was associated with particles resulted in a two-order of magnitude higher particle-water partition coefficient for Fe, K_d(Fe), than that for Mn, K_d(Mn). The removal fluxes of Mn and Fe could be estimated by multiplying the particulate ²³⁴Th removal flux with the Mn/²³⁴Th and Fe/²³⁴Th ratios in suspended particles, which ranged from 0.1 to 3.8 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ for Mn, and from 3.4 to 194.5 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ for Fe. Residence times ranged from 1 to 20 days for Mn and Fe were estimated in the nearshore.     

Multilayer shallow water flow using lattice Boltzmann method with high performance computing

A multilayer lattice Boltzmann (LB) model is introduced to solve three-dimensional wind-driven shallow water flow problems. The multilayer LB model avoids the expensive Navier–Stokes equations and obtains stratified horizontal flow velocities as vertical velocities are relatively small and the flow is still within the shallow water regime. A single relaxation time BGK method is used to solve each layer coupled by the vertical viscosity forcing term. To increase solution stability, an implicit step is suggested to obtain flow velocities. The main advantage of using the LBM is that after selecting appropriate equilibrium distribution functions, the LB algorithm is only slightly modified for each layer and retains all the simplicities of the LBM within the high performance computing (HPC) environment. The performance of the parallel LB model for the multilayer shallow water equations is investigated on CPU-based HPC environments using OpenMP. We found that the explicit loop control with cache optimization in LBM gives better performance on execution time, speedup and efficiency than the implicit loop control as the number of processors increases. Numerical examples are presented to verify the multilayer LB model against analytical solutions. We demonstrate the model’s capability of calculating lateral and vertical distributions of velocities for wind-driven circulation over non-uniform bathymetry.     

Trophic coupling between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechococcus</Emphasis> and pigmented nanoflagellates in the coastal waters of Taiwan,western subtropical Pacific

In our attempt to characterize the interaction of trophic coupling between Synechococcus and pigmented nanoflagellates (PNFs), successive size-fraction experiments were performed at a coastal station on the northeast coast of Taiwan from June, 2005 to January, 2006. By estimating the growth rate and grazing rate of Synechococcus in the presence of nanoflagellates of different sizes, we truncated the food web by removing organisms with different body sizes (<2 μm, <5 μm, <10 μm, and <20 μm). The growth rates of Synechococcus ranged from −0.016 to 0.051 h⁻¹ during the experimental period, suggesting that temperature was a primary mechanism controlling Synechococcus growth. In addition to size and relative biomass of pigmented nanoflagellates and Synechococcus, it is suggested that community structures played an important role in trophic link. Furthermore, we conclude that the trophic cascading effect in the northeast coast of Taiwan includes: 1) high grazing rates at night in the warm season; 2) the Synechococcus biomass generally exceeds the grazing threshold (6 × 10⁴ cells mL⁻¹); and 3) the biomass ratio of <5 μm PNFs to >5 μm PNFs should be 1:1 to 2:1.     

Prey density requirements of the striped bass,Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), larvae

Striped bass,Morone saxatilis, larvae of 9 DAH (days after hatching) were fed for 16 d with five densities of adults (5–100 l^?1), copepodites (10–200 l^?1), and nauplii (50–1,000^?1) of the copepodEurytemora affinis, and 5-DAH and 10-DAH larvae were fed at seven densities (5–500 l^?1) of brine shrimp,Artemia salina, nauplii. The study determined the effects of prey types and densities on the survival and growth of the fish larvae, and the effects of delaying first feeding from 5 DAH to 10 DAH. The survival and grwoth of the larvae fedE. affinis adults was higher than those fedE. affinis copepodites.E. affinis nauplii were the poorest prey. OneE. affinis adult provided nutrition equivalent to 1.45 copepoditer or 11.12 nauplii. The percentage survival of the larvae was higher for those fedA. salina nauplii thanE. affinis adults at the densities below 67.25 l^?1, but there was no difference at this density or higher. Delaying first feeding from 5 DAH to 10 DAH did not affect percentage survival and size of larvae at the end of the experiments. Because the survival and growth of the larvae increased as the prey density increased, it was difficult to set a point along the regression line as the minimum density requirement level. It may be said that for striped bass larvae, the higher the prey density, the higher the survival and growth, and thus the greater the recruitment success.     

Simplified seismic analysis of asymmetric building systems

The paper reviews the uncoupled modal response history analysis (UMRHA) and modal pushover analysis (MPA) procedure in the analysis of asymmetric structures. From the pushover curves in ADRS format, showing the relationships of base shear versus roof translation and base torque versus roof rotation, a bifurcating characteristic of the pushover curves of an asymmetric structure is observed. A two‐degree‐of‐freedom (2DOF) modal stick is constructed using lump mass eccentrically placed at the end of beam which is connected with the column by a rotational spring. By converting the equation of motion of a whole structure into 2DOF modal equations, all of the elastic properties in the 2DOF modal sticks can be determined accurately. A mathematical proof is carried out to demonstrate that the 2DOF modal stick is consistent with the single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) modal stick at elastic state. The bifurcating characteristic of modal pushover curves and the interaction of modal translation and rotation can be considered rationally by this 2DOF modal stick. In order to verify the effectiveness of this proposed 2DOF modal stick, a two‐storey asymmetric building structure was analysed by the UMRHA procedure incorporating this novel 2DOF modal sticks (2DMPA) and conventional SDOF modal sticks (SDMPA), respectively. The analytical results are compared with those obtained by nonlinear response history analysis (RHA). It is illustrated that the accuracy of the rotational response histories obtained by 2DMPA is much better than those obtained by SDMPA. Consequently, the estimations of translational response histories on flexible side (FS) and stiff side (SS) of the building structure are also improved. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmental stochasticity promotes copper bioaccumulation and bioenergetic response in tilapia

Environmental change not only undergoes in mean environmental conditions but also in their degree of stochasticity. Changes in waterborne metal variability are often associated with altered disturbance regimes and temporal patterns of source availability. Here copper (Cu) was used as an example because Cu sulfate (CuSO₄) has been extensively used as a chemical tool to exterminate phytoplankton for controlling skin lesions and gill disease of fish in aquatic ecosystems. This study showed that increased variability of waterborne Cu concentrations strongly promotes a key process of biokinetics, bioaccumulation. In experimental tilapia populations, the mean growth cost coefficient in pulsed Cu exposures was 7 % lower than the control group. On the other hand, the double-pulse, constant low, and single-pulse scenarios had similar effect on biomass change (2.2–2.4 %). The greatest biomass change (~10 %) occurred where Cu concentrations were gradually increasing over time or at a constant high rate. Most importantly, this study demonstrated that chronic exposure of tilapia to a low Cu concentration rate that approximated a single large pulse of field-realistic levels damaged bioenergetic mechanisms and increased energy acquisition. This study also showed that interactions across multiple pulsed or fluctuating Cu exposures were involved in accumulation changes that could also be achieved by controlling pulse timing and duration. It can be concluded that increased metal variability can promote biokinetic and bioenergetic responses in fish; and that changes in environmental variability may interact with other global change processes and thereby substantially accelerate change in aquatic ecosystems.     

A more accurate scheme for calculating Earth’s skin temperature

The theoretical framework of the vertical discretization of a ground column for calculating Earth’s skin temperature is presented. The suggested discretization is derived from the evenly heat-content discretization with the optimal effective thickness for layer-temperature simulation. For the same level number, the suggested discretization is more accurate in skin temperature as well as surface ground heat flux simulations than those used in some state-of-the-art models. A proposed scheme (“op(3,2,0)”) can reduce the normalized root–mean–square error (or RMSE/STD ratio) of the calculated surface ground heat flux of a cropland site significantly to 2% (or 0.9 W m^?2), from 11% (or 5 W m^?2) by a 5-layer scheme used in ECMWF, from 19% (or 8 W m^?2) by a 5-layer scheme used in ECHAM, and from 74% (or 32 W m^?2) by a single-layer scheme used in the UCLA GCM. Better accuracy can be achieved by including more layers to the vertical discretization. Similar improvements are expected for other locations with different land types since the numerical error is inherited into the models for all the land types. The proposed scheme can be easily implemented into state-of-the-art climate models for the temperature simulation of snow, ice and soil.     

Spawning of major carps in the lower Halda River,Bangladesh

Spawning biology and spawn fishery of three valuable species of Indian major carps,Catla catla, Labeo rohita andCirrhinus mrigala, in the lower Halda River, Bangladesh, were studied in 1978. The major carps spawned only in the Sonairchar oxbow-bend from April to June on or near the dates of the full moon and the new moon. The tide was then at its highest level, and there was heavy flood water runoff from the hill region with sharp increases in water level, turbidity and current velocity, as well as decreases in water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and hydrogen ion concentration. These three heterogeneric species, as a result of parallelism or convergence in evolution, overlap in their environmental requirements for spawning. The nursery ground of the major carp fry spawned in the Halda River was found to be in the Bay of Bengal. The brood stock origin is suspected to be at the Shankha River, 40 miles south of the Karnafuli River. The spawn fishery in the Halda River was intensive but inefficient. Engineering works and water management schemes are threatening the spawning habitat.     

Earthquake strong motions recorded by a large near-source array of digital seismographs

Specially designed arrays of strong-motion seismographs near to the earthquake source are required for seismological and engineering studies of the generation and near-field properties of seismic waves. The first such large digital array, called SMART 1 (with radius 2 km and 37 accelerometers), to record substantial ground motion (up to 0·24g horizontal acceleration) became operational in late 1980 in a highly seismic region of Taiwan. During the first 6 months of operation, SMART 1 recorded nine earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from M_L 3·8 to 6·9. Three were located directly below the array at focal depths of 59 to 76 km. The remaining six had shallow depths and epicentral distances from 7 to 193 km. Digital records from 27 three-component accelerographs were obtained from a magnitude 6·9 (M_L) local earthquake on 29 January 1981. Representative measurements are described of seismic wave coherency and power spectrum as a function of wave number, frequency, azimuth of propagation and wave type. Acceleration waveforms varied significantly across the array for each event. On average, peak acceleration of horizontal components was about three times that of the vertical component. Relative spectral changes from earthquake to earthquake were large.     

Bioassay of baltimore harbor sediments

Baltimore Harbor, a tributary area of the northern Chesapeake Bay, has recelved and is receiving large quantities of chemical pollutants. As part of a cooperative study to explore possible corrective treatment for existing pollution burdens, gross bioassay analyses were performed for sediments from nine representative stations, employing two species of fish, mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) and spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), and one mollusc, the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria). Acclimated organisms were exposed in static systems to a series of concentrations of suspended sediment from each station, to fuller's earth in suspension, and in control tanks for 48 hours. Parallel analysis of the sediment was performed for the metals, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ca, As, for PCB's and for hexane extracts. The sediments were all substantially polluted with low correlations among components. Twenty-four hour TLm and 48-hour TLm increased proportionately with sediment concentration but display species specificity. The relationships observed permit use of mummichog data to index gross toxicity of sediments throughout the harbor. Further comparison of mummichog 24-hour TLm value with benthie species diversity determined in a previous study permitted zoning of the entire harbor into highly toxic, moderately toxic, low toxic and slightly toxic zones. Gross toxicity of sediments determined by bioassay can therefore be used as an index of the suitability of the sediments for benthic macroinvertebrate communities.