Defining and detecting undesirable disturbance in the context of marine eutrophication

An understanding of undesirable disturbance to the balance of organisms is needed to diagnose marine eutrophication as defined by EU Directives and OSPAR. This review summarizes the findings of the UK Defra-funded Undesirable Disturbance Study Team, which concluded that 'an undesirable disturbance is a perturbation of a marine ecosystem that appreciably degrades the health or threatens the sustainable human use of that ecosystem'. A methodology is proposed for detecting disturbance of temperate salt-water communities dominated by phytoplanktonic or phytobenthic primary producers. It relies on monitoring indicators of ecosystem structure and vigour, which are components of health. Undesirable disturbance can be diagnosed by accumulating evidence of ecohydrodynamic type-specific changes in: (i) bulk indicators; (ii) frequency statistics; (iii) flux measurements; (iv) structural indicators; and (v) indicator species. These are exemplified by (i) chlorophyll, transparency, dissolved oxygen, and opportunistic seaweed cover; (ii) HABs frequency; (iii) primary production; (iv) benthic and planktonic 'trophic indices'; (v) seagrasses and Nephrops norvegicus. Ecological Quality Objectives are proposed for some of these. Linking the diagnosis to eutrophication requires correlation of changes with nutrient enrichment. The methodology, which requires the development of a plankton community index and emphasizes the importance of primary production as an indicator of vigour, can be harmonized with the EU Water Framework Directive and OSPAR's Strategy to Combat Eutrophication.     

源于地震沉积学的高精度层序地层学应用：以路易斯安那近海老虎滩地区50号中新统弗米利恩区块为例

介绍了应用钻井和三维地震资料来划分高精度(四级)层序和体系域的地震沉积学方法。其关键技术包括:(1)将地震数据进行90°相位调整来记录岩性,从而获得更完善的测井资料;(2)假设并解释沉积体系中连续的平面地貌特征。下面我们推荐一种新的解释方法,就是将高精度层序地层学的研究重点从解释垂直地震剖面转变为分析更加水平、分辨率更高的地震地貌信息。这方面的研究表明,有岩性限制的地震资料中,地层切片可提供通常为同沉积体系的连续地震图像。反过来,这种图像又可作为识别和划分高频体系域、层序边界以及层序地质年代范围的基础。在路易斯安那近海的中新统地层中,运用测井资料划分的四级层序或层序组,可通过地震资料来划分,地震数据体的主频为30Hz,相当于分辨率为30ft(10m)。所用的这一分辨率在井控外的地震覆盖区,对高精度层序地层格架进行精确再现非常有效。     

Water and sediment quality, partial mass budget and effluent N loading in coastal brackishwater shrimp farms in Bangladesh

The present study aimed to quantify the water and sediment quality and growth and production parameters and to establish nutrient budgets for an average of five selected semi-intensive shrimp ponds in Bangladesh over a growing cycle. Physico-chemical parameters of water and sediments were measured and analyzed by standard methods. Gross yield (kg ha-1) of shrimp was calculated from the stocking and harvesting data. Finally, a partial nutrient mass budget for N and P was calculated. Most of the parameters of water and sediments correlated significantly with each other suggesting a high degree of interactions between different parameters in the system. Significantly higher concentrations of all species of nitrogenous nutrients were recorded in the effluent waters than that entering into the ponds. Therefore, a high loading and net output of nitrogenous nutrients in effluent waters was documented. The study also indicated a net discharge of solids and minerals through effluent loading. However, significantly lower concentrations of phosphorus in the effluent water indicated a net retention and trapping of phosphatic nutrients in the environment. Total production ranged between 532.0 and 697.0 kg ha-1 cycle-1 and P. monodon production between 484.0 and 562.0 kg ha-1 cycle-1. Ponds gained nitrogen primarily from intake water (55%) and fertilizers (29%), and nitrogen was lost primarily from water exchange (78%) and harvested shrimp (12%). Phosphorus gain occurred mostly from intake water (52%) and fertilizers (25%), and phosphorus was lost primarily from water exchange (52%) and harvested shrimp (3.3%). About 10% of input nitrogen and 44% of phosphorus were not accounted for in measured losses, and presumably were fixed or metabolized in the system. On average, 78 g N was discharged to and 25 g P was removed from the surrounding water by the system for each kilogram of shrimp produced. Mean conversion of feed nitrogen and phosphorus to shrimp flesh averaged 74% and 40%, respectively. It was concluded that semi-intensive systems serve as net supplier of N to and net remover of P from the surrounding water.     

Multiplex PCR allows simultaneous detection of pathogens in ships' ballast water

There is enormous potential for global transfer of microorganisms, including pathogens, in ships' ballast water. We contend that a major advancement in the study of ballast-water microorganisms in particular, and of aquatic pathogens in general, will be expedited sample analysis, such as provided by the elegant technology of DNA microarrays. In order to use DNA microarrays, however, one must establish the appropriate conditions to bind target sequences in samples to multiple probes on the microarrays. We conducted proof-of-concept experiments to optimize simultaneous detection of multiple microorganisms using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern hybridization. We chose three target organisms, all potentially found in ballast water: a calicivirus, the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, and the photosynthetic protist Aureococcus anophagefferens. Here, we show simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens is possible, a result supporting the promising future use of microarrays for simultaneous detection of pathogens in ballast water.     

Minor improvement for intertidal seaweeds and invertebrates after acid mine drainage diversion at Britannia Beach, Pacific Canada

In December 2001, acid mine drainage (AMD) from an abandoned copper mine at Britannia Beach (British Columbia, Canada) was diverted to flow from Britannia Creek into an outfall at 30 m depth in Howe Sound. Britannia Beach was studied in early 2003 to determine whether AMD diversion resulted in improved conditions for intertidal organisms. Species number and abundance have increased at the intertidal zone since AMD diversion, although they were still lower than at an unpolluted control site nearby (Furry Creek). Survivorship and growth rates of transplanted Mytilus trossulus (mussel) have increased since AMD diversion, although they were still significantly lower than at the control site. Transplanted Fucus gardneri (seaweed) performed better than before the AMD diversion; at Britannia Beach the chlorophyll a concentration in tissues was not significantly different from that at the control site, although the concentration of chlorophyll c in tissues and the chlorophyll c to a ratio was lower than at the control site six weeks after transplantation. Britannia Beach is still subject to leaching of metals from surrounding soils, low levels of AMD coming down the creek, and AMD discharge from the deep outfall. Although there has been an improvement, the intertidal environment at Britannia Beach still seems unable to support normal growth and survival of organisms.     

Reactive sulfides relationship with metals in sediments from an eutrophicated estuary in Southeast Brazil

The potential association of acid-volatile sulfides (AVS) and reactive (HCl soluble) Fe with the distribution of reactive trace metals (Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn) was investigated in sediment cores collected in the Igua?u river estuarine system (Guanabara bay, Brazil), within the river (core R) and the bay (core B) areas. Moderate to extremely high AVS concentrations (33-314 micromol g(-1)) were found in the rapidly-accumulated sediments of this eutrophicated estuary. AVS showed significant correlations with Fe, Ni and Pb in core B, whereas no correlation between AVS and metals was observed in core R. Results suggest that the AVS:Fe molar ratio may often reflect the diagenetic conditions controlling the distribution of Cd and Cu in core B better than AVS and Fe levels themselves. A shift in the biogeochemical controls of metal distribution from the river to the open bay sediments is suggested, with a greater association of most metals with AVS and Fe in bay sediments.     

Evidence of chromosomal damage in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) from the Baltic Sea

Common eiders nesting in the Baltic Sea are exposed to generally high levels of contaminants including potentially genotoxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorines. Blood samples were collected from eiders at eight sites in the Baltic Sea and two sites in the Beaufort Sea. DNA content variation was estimated using the flow cytometric method, and subsequently utilized as a biomarker of genetic damage. We observed no significant differences in genetic damage among populations within either the Baltic or Beaufort Seas. However, eider populations from the Baltic Sea had significantly elevated estimates of genetic damage compared to populations from the Beaufort Sea.     

由GPS测量确定的2002年阿拉斯加迪纳利断层Mw7．9级地震的同震滑动分布

2002年11月3日，阿拉斯加中部发生了一次Mw7．9级的地震。该地震使部分苏西特纳冰川断层、迪纳利断层及托茨春达断层发生破裂。反演GPS测量的位移场表明，该事件以沿迪纳利断层复杂的右旋走滑破裂占优势。最靠近震中的GPS测点显示出苏西特纳冰川断层有逆冲运动的影响。优选的Mw7．9级地震同震滑动模型表明，在破裂的西段滑动相对较小，而在震中以东约60km至在迪纳利断层和托茨春达断层的交汇处滑动相对较大。我们发现大多数浅层滑动从地表至深15km，但反演却表明在震中以东110km有一大的深部滑移层。我们的模型预示地表滑动与地表地质观测非常一致，模型分辨率也非常好。     

强地震动的表征

一些水下滑坡是由地震引起的强地震动触发的。本文评述了有关强地震动描述的当前概念及其发震趋势。改进的经验地震动模型是由强震数据集导出的，这方面的数据在近10年也得到了显著的充实。然而，由于这些模型中的震级一距离一场地分类的参数化常常过于简化实际情况，因此这些经验模型具有很大程度的不确定性。这表现在一些已知的、对强地震动具有很大影响的其他条件并没有作为这些简单模型的参数，例如近断层破裂的方向性效应、地壳波导效应以及盆地响应效应。基于地震学理论的包含这些附加效应的数字地动模型已经建立，并且从已有的地震动记录中得以广泛验证。它们可以用来评估过去地震的地震动，也可以用来预测未来潜在地震的地震动。     

2003年十胜近海地震随后的余滑时空分布：断层带摩擦性质变化的推论

2003年9月25日(世界时)十胜近海地震(Mw～8．0)随后的GPS时间序列揭示出了显著形变。我们采用“网络反演滤波”技术，对震后30天内后续断层滑动的时空演变进行了反演。后续断层滑动集中在同震破裂带附近，即在2003年地震断裂带、1968年十胜近海地震和1973年根室近海地震震源区之间的位置。反演表明，2003年地震断裂带中断层滑动速率衰减迅速，而周围地区衰减速度较慢。后续断层滑动地区的应力一速度路径大致遵循dτ／d In(v)～0．6MPa，这暗示着稳态速度强化摩擦。尽管不能排除其他的解释，但在沿走向的方向上，同震破裂和后续断层滑动互补的空间模型还是可能表明了摩擦特征的空间变化。