UV-B susceptibility and photoprotection of Arctic Daphnia morphotypes

UV-B tolerance and susceptibility of high Arctic morphotypes of the Daphnia pulexl D. tenebrosa complex were assessed by in situ experiments at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (79°N). Animals from local ponds were exposed to ambient light plus additional UV-B from lamps in a greenhouse facility. Taxonomic affinities did not appear as major determinants of UV susceptibility, but a major difference in UV-B tolerance was seen between morphotypes with pigmented carapaces and those without, the latter being far more susceptible. Assays on levels of carotene and the anti-oxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase did not reveal clear-cut differences between populations, and could not account for the higher tolerance in pigmented populations. Levels of glutathione transferase were higher in the transparent population, however. In the absence of blue light and UV, laboratory reared animals did not reconstitute their carapace melanization after moulting, indicating that short-wave light is the cue for melanin synthesis. Tests on melanized individuals and individuals of the same population reared indoors through 1-2 moults supported the major role of melanin for UV protection. Periods with high UV exposure during hatching of ephippia could induce shifts in morphotype or clonal dominance.     

On the use of forward scatter techniques in the study of turbulent stratified layers in the troposhere

This review paper considers the potentials of forward scatter radio techniques as a diagnostic tool in the study of stratified turbulent layers. Seven classes of experimental techniques have been considered (beamswinging, multifrequency, vertical and horizontal field strength correlation, coupling loss, pulse delay and bandwidth measurements). All these techniques with the exception of bandwidth and delay experiments measure directly or indirectly the irregularity spectrum of refractive index. Bandwidt hand delay distributions are determined by the vertical distribution of the refractivity irregularities. Thus for the purpose of obtaining information about a layered structure where our interest is focused on the vertical refractivity distribution rather than on the averaged spectral properties of the structure, the last two categories of experiments appear to represent a powerful tool. If one is interested in the spectral properties, multifrequency and beamswinging experiments are of great potential value whereas other experiments such as that measuring coupling loss are largely influenced by pure refraction effects.     

Bottom friction beneath random waves

The effect of random waves on the bottom friction is studied by assuming that the wave motion is a stationary Gaussian narrow-band random process. The approach is also based on simple explicit friction coefficient formulas for sinusoidal waves. The probability distribution functions of the maximum bottom shear stress for laminar flow as well as smooth turbulent and rough turbulent flow are presented. The maximum bottom shear stress follows the Rayleigh distribution for laminar flow and the Weibull distribution for smooth turbulent and rough turbulent flow. Some characteristic statistical values of the maximum bottom shear stress for the three flow regimes are also given.     

Wind gust spectrum over waves: Effect of wave age

The effect of wave age on the wind gust spectrum over wind waves is considered by using the Ochi and Shin [1988. Wind turbulent spectra for design considerations of offshore structures. Proceedings of 20th Offshore Technology Conference, Paper No. 5736, Houston, Texas. pp. 461–467] spectrum together with the wave age dependant Volkov [2001. The dependence on wave age. In: Jones, I.S.F., Toba, Y. (Eds.), Wind Stress Over the Ocean. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 206–217] sea surface roughness formula. The wave age independent Charnock [1955. Wind stress on a water surface. Quarterly Journal of Royal Meteorological Society 81, 639–640] sea surface roughness is used as a reference. An example of results demonstrates a clear effect of wave age on the wind gust spectrum.     

Potential impact of climate change on ecosystems of the Barents Sea Region

The EU project BALANCE (Global Change Vulnerabilities in the Barents region: Linking Arctic Natural Resources, Climate Change and Economies) aims to assess vulnerability to climate change in the Barents Sea Region. As a prerequisite the potential impact of climate change on selected ecosystems of the study area has to be quantified, which is the subject of the present paper. A set of ecosystem models was run to generate baseline and future scenarios for 1990, 2020, 2050 and 2080. The models are based on data from the Regional Climate Model (REMO), driven by a GCM which in turn is forced by the IPCC-B2 scenario. The climate change is documented by means of the Köppen climate classification. Since the multitude of models requires the effect of climate change on individual terrestrial and marine systems to be integrated, the paper concentrates on a standardised visualisation of potential impacts by use of a Geographical Information System for the timeslices 2050 and 2080. The resulting maps show that both terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Barents region will undergo significant changes until both 2050 and 2080.     

Method for generating parameterized ecotoxicity data of dispersed oil for use in environmental modelling

The aim of the work was to establish methodology for realistic laboratory-based test exposures of organisms to oil dispersions, specifically designed to generate parameterized toxicity data. Such data are needed to improve the value of numerical models used to predict fate and effects of oil spills and different oil spill responses. A method for continuous and predictable in-line production of oil dispersions with defined size distribution of different oil qualities was successfully established. The system enables simultaneous comparison between the effects of different concentrations of dispersion and their corresponding equilibrium water soluble fractions. Thus, net effects of the oil droplet fraction may be estimated. The method provides data for comparing the toxicity of oil dispersions generated both mechanically and with the use of chemical dispersions, incorporating the toxicity of both dissolved oil and droplets of oil.     

The Baltic Sea Experiment BALTEX: A brief overview and some selected results of the authors

The mechanisms responsible for the transfer of energy and water within the climate system are under worldwide investigation within the framework of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) to improve the predictability of natural and man-made climate changes at short and long ranges and their impact on water resources. Five continental-scale experiments have been established within GEWEX to enable a more complete coupling between atmospheric and hydrological models. One of them is the Baltic Sea Experiment (BALTEX).In this paper, the goals and structure of BALTEX are outlined. A short overview of measuring and modelling strategies is given. Atmospheric and hydrological model results of the authors only are presented. These include also the validation of precipitation using station measurements as well as validation of modelled cloud cover with cloud estimates from satellite data. Furthermore, results of a large-scale grid based hydrological model to be coupled to atmospheric models are presented.This research has never been possible without the contribution of research groups and operational institutions from all 10 member countries. We concentrate here on results obtained at the GKSS research center.     

A Comparative Study for 3D Surface Modeling of Coal Deposit by Spatial Interpolation Approaches

The planning stages of mining require comprehensive and detailed analyses. The proper determination of the orebody boundary is one of the most important points to provide optimum model structure and projections. The limits can be determined by different methods based on the site geology. Although some three dimensional (3D) models were proposed for providing detailed information concerning a mine deposit, developing a solid model via a 3D approach is novelty. In other words, surface modeling should be performed for creating a solid model and determining limits of the deposit. In this way, sensible generation of the surface model can be achieved. This study investigated the estimation capability of the polynomial approach, which is a novel spatial interpolation method, for modeling a coal deposit surface. The performance of the proposed model was compared with some conventional methods in the literature. The results showed that the polynomial interpolation method is an effective method to employ for surface modeling of a mine deposit.