Movement of water infiltrated from a recharge basin to wells

Local surface water and stormflow were infiltrated intermittently from a 40-ha basin between September 2003 and September 2007 to determine the feasibility of recharging alluvial aquifers pumped for public supply, near Stockton, California. Infiltration of water produced a pressure response that propagated through unconsolidated alluvial-fan deposits to 125 m below land surface (bls) in 5 d and through deeper, more consolidated alluvial deposits to 194 m bls in 25 d, resulting in increased water levels in nearby monitoring wells. The top of the saturated zone near the basin fluctuates seasonally from depths of about 15 to 20 m. Since the start of recharge, water infiltrated from the basin has reached depths as great as 165 m bls. On the basis of sulfur hexafluoride tracer test data, basin water moved downward through the saturated alluvial deposits until reaching more permeable zones about 110 m bls. Once reaching these permeable zones, water moved rapidly to nearby pumping wells at rates as high as 13 m/d. Flow to wells through highly permeable material was confirmed on the basis of flowmeter logging, and simulated numerically using a two-dimensional radial groundwater flow model. Arsenic concentrations increased slightly as a result of recharge from 2 to 6 μg/L immediately below the basin. Although few water-quality issues were identified during sample collection, high groundwater velocities and short travel times to nearby wells may have implications for groundwater management at this and at other sites in heterogeneous alluvial aquifers.     

The influence of a season of extreme wet weather events on exposure of the World Heritage Area Great Barrier Reef to pesticides

The 2010-2011 wet season was one of extreme weather for the State of Queensland, Australia. Major rivers adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) were discharging at rates 1.5 to >3 times higher than their long term median. Exposure to photosystem II herbicides has been routinely monitored over a period of up to 5 years at 12 inshore GBR sites. The influence of this wet season on exposure to photosystem II herbicides was examined in the context of this long-term monitoring record and during flood plume events in specific regions. Median exposures expressed as diuron equivalent concentration were an average factor of 2.3 times higher but mostly not significantly different (p<0.05) to the median for the long-term monitoring record. The herbicides metolachlor and tebuthiuron were frequently detected in flood plume waters at concentrations that reached or exceeded relevant water quality guidelines (by up to 4.5 times).     

Through‐water terrestrial laser scanning of gravel beds at the patch scale

Acquiring high resolution topographic data of natural gravel surfaces is technically demanding in locations where the bed is not exposed at low water stages. Often the most geomorphologically active surfaces are permanently submerged. Gravel beds are spatially variable and measurement of their detailed structure and particle sizes is essential for understanding the interaction of bed roughness with near‐bed flow hydraulics, sediment entrainment, transport and deposition processes, as well as providing insights into the ecological responses to these processes. This paper presents patch‐scale laboratory and field experiments to demonstrate that through‐water terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has the potential to provide high resolution digital elevation models of submerged gravel beds with enough detail to depict individual grains and small‐scale forms. The resulting point cloud data requires correction for refraction before registration. Preliminary validation shows that patch‐scale TLS through 200 mm of water introduces a mean error of less than 5 mm under ideal conditions. Point precision is not adversely affected by the water column. The resulting DEMs can be embedded seamlessly within larger sub‐aerial reach‐scale surveys and can be acquired alongside flow measurements to examine the effects of three‐dimensional surface geometry on turbulent flow fields and their interaction with instream ecology dynamics. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A process‐based hypothesis for the barchan–parabolic transformation and implications for dune activity modelling

The introduction of vegetation to bare barchan dunes can result in a morphological transformation to vegetated parabolic dunes. Models can mimic this planform inversion, but little is known about the specific processes and mechanisms responsible. Here we outline a minimalist, quantitative, and process‐based hypothesis to explain the barchan–parabolic transformation. The process is described in terms of variations in the stabilization of wind‐parallel cross‐sectional dune slices. We hypothesize that stabilization of individual ‘dune slices’ is the predictable result of feedbacks initiated from colonization of vegetation on the slipface, which can only occur when slipface deposition rates are less than the deposition tolerance of vegetation. Under a constant vegetation growth regime the transformation of a barchan dune into a parabolic dune is a geometric response to spanwise gradients in deposition rates. Initial vegetation colonization of barchan horns causes shear between the anchored sides and the advancing centre of the dune, which rotates the planform brinkline angle from concave‐ to convex‐downwind. This reduces slipface deposition rate and allows vegetation to expand inward from the arms to the dune centre. The planform inversion of bare barchans dunes into vegetated parabolic dunes ultimately leads to complete stabilization. Our hypothesis raises several important questions for future study: (i) are parabolic dunes transitional landforms between active and vegetation‐stabilized dune states? (ii) should stabilization modelling of parabolic dune fields be treated differently than linear dunes? and (iii) are stabilized parabolic dune fields ‘armoured’ against re‐activation? Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimates of size for the large octopus Macroctopus maorum from measures of beaks in prey remains

Macroctopus maorum, also known as Octopus maorum and Pinnoctopus cordiformis, grows to 12 kg and is the largest octopod in Australasia. In New Zealand, this species features in the diets of seals and albatrosses. Beaks of depredated octopus resist digestion and accumulate in the stomach until regurgitated or defecated. Beaks of M. maorum were differentiated reliably from those of other octopods in prey remains for octopus > c.100 g. Previous studies estimated the size of depredated M. maorum from measures of lower beaks using equations derived either from a small sample of M. maorum or from related species. Here, allometric equations to estimate ventral mantle length (4.6–27.5 cm), dorsal mantle length (5.1–29.0 cm), total length (20–198 cm), and body mass (36–12 000 g) were derived from measures of both upper and lower beaks of 90 specimens of M. maorum. These regressions were imprecise and reflected innate variability in octopus morphometrics, a characteristic reflected in the results of analyses of published data for M. maorum from northern New Zealand and for two other large octopods, Octopus vulgaris and Enteroctopus magnificus.     

Reproductive output of male seahorses,Hippocampus abdominalis,from Wellington Harbour,New Zealand: Implications for conservation

This investigation examines aspects of reproductive output in brooding wild male seahorses, Hippocampus abdominalis, from Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. Previously undocumented, such information is crucial to the management and protection of this species in relation to the CITES Appendix II‐listing of all seahorse species. Brooding males (n = 46) were captured and kept captive until the release of their juveniles, whereupon the number of juveniles was counted and sampled for standard length (SL) and dry weight (DW). SL (mean ± 1SE) of brooding males was 18.1 ± 0.6 cm and wet weight (WW) 17.6 ± 1.6 g. Number (mean ± 1SE) of juveniles released per brood was 271.2 ± 27. The number of juveniles produced was positively correlated with parent SL, WW, and brood pouch volume. Brood pouch volume was positively correlated with male SL. SL (mean ±1SE) of juveniles released was 16.7 + 0.2 mm and DW 1.2 ± 0.1 mg. Mean SL and DW of juveniles were not correlated with the number of juveniles per brood, parent male SL or parent male pouch volume. The percentage of pouch contents which were non‐viable (i.e., premature or non‐viable eggs) upon juvenile release was low (1.1 ± 0.2%; mean ±1SE of the total pouch contents). Based on findings in this study it is suggested that the CITES 10 cm minimum height restriction, which can be used in lieu of non‐detriment findings to allow sustainable exploitation of seahorses, is not suitable for H. abdominalis from Wellington Harbour as it would appear to only protect small males that produce low numbers of juveniles.     

Calibrations to estimate absolute numbers of New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) pups from direct counts

Annual direct counts of seal pups can indicate long‐term trends in population size, but mark‐recapture estimates are needed to deduce absolute numbers. A calibration between results from these two methods would facilitate the use of direct counts to estimate absolute numbers, an outcome that is relatively quick, cheap and minimises disturbance of animals. Mark‐recapture estimates for the numbers of New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) pups in 2003 at 10 colonies at Otago, southeastern New Zealand, were compared with independent single counts at the same colonies. A single ratio to estimate absolute numbers (y) from direct counts x was not statistically significant. Instead, two ratios were deduced, based on differences in habitat among colonies: y = 1.51x for colonies with hiding places for pups and y = 0.96x for colonies without hiding places. Application of these calibrations and their 95% prediction intervals produce estimates and ranges for the absolute numbers of pups from single annual counts.     

Submerged vegetation of Lakes Sumner,Marion, Katrine,Taylor, and Sheppard in Canterbury,New Zealand

The submerged vegetation of Lakes Sumner, Marion, Katrine, Taylor, and Sheppard was surveyed in May 1987. These high‐altitude lakes lie at c. 600 m a.s.l., within the largely unmodified upper Hurunui catchment. Submerged vegetation was diverse and included numerous short shallow‐water species, dense swards of Isoetes alpinus, low covers of taller native vascular plants, and charophyte meadows beyond the depth limit of vascular plants to a maximum of 15 m. A sparse deepwater bryophyte community was observed from 11 to 32 m depth in Lake Sumner. Displacement of native vegetation by dense growths of the adventive oxygen weed Elodea canadensis over mid‐depths of 3–6 m was noted in all lakes, except Lake Marion.     

Riparian protection and on‐farm best management practices for restoration of a lowland stream in an intensive dairy farming catchment: A case study

Abstract

Poor water quality (high concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), suspended solids (SS), and faecal bacteria) in Waiokura Stream, southern Taranaki, New Zealand, is attributed to diffuse and point source (PS) inputs from dairy farming. Trend analysis of concentration time‐series data (2001–2008) and annual yields (i.e., stream load divided by catchment area) showed that significant improvements occurring since 2001 may be attributed to changes in farming practices and riparian management. Yields of filterable reactive P, total P and SS declined by 25–40% as a result of increased riparian protection, a reduction in dairy shed effluent (DSE) pond discharges from 8 to 6 with conversion to land irrigation, and a 25% reduction in the average application rate of P fertiliser. Median annual Escherichia coli concentrations declined at a rate of 116 per 100 ml per year, as a result of fewer PS discharges and improved riparian management. Thus, improvements in stream water quality were attributed to adoption of on‐farm best management practices, fewer DSE discharges and riparian management involving permanent livestock exclusion from stream banks and riparian planting to mitigate runoff from pasture. During 2001–06, N fertiliser use increased by 30% and, with a 130% increase in supplementary cattle feed during 2003–08, led to an increase in average milk solids production 1021 to 1262 kg ha^?1 during 2001–06 with the increased production likely associated with increased N leaching losses. Total N and nitrate‐N concentrations and yields increased during 2001–07 as a result of the intensification in land use and increased N cycling. Stream invertebrate surveys using the macroinvertebrate community index (MCI) metric showed little improvement in MCI during 2002–07, probably because of the relatively short timeframe of this study and because water temperatures were not a limiting factor for invertebrate communities. The absence of native forest streams in the proximity of Waiokura Stream that might act as sources of sensitive species to recolonise the restored stream should also be considered as a constraint to improvements in biological community structure.