Seasonal variations in river discharge and nutrient export to a Northeastern Pacific estuary

Seasonal variations in dissolved nitrogen and silica loadings were related to seasonal variability in river discharge. Dissolved nutrient concentrations measured weekly at three stations in the Yaquina River, Oregon from 1999 through 2001, and then monthly in 2002 were used as the basis for developing a nutrient loading regression as part of a larger agency program for evaluating nutrient processes. Because realistic models of nutrient transport require dense data sets to capture both long and short term fluctuations in nutrient concentrations, data at one freshwater station also were collected hourly for the same years using an in-stream monitor.The effects of storm events on dissolved nutrient transport were examined during three storms, including one in a high rainfall-discharge year, and two in average years, one of which followed a drought year. During the drought year (WY2001), total dissolved nitrate input was considerably less than in wetter years. Dissolved nitrate concentrations, however, were unusually high in the first winter storm runoff after the drought. The freshwater dissolved nitrate nitrogen loads varied from 40,380 kg day⁻¹ during a high-flow storm event to 0.11 kg day⁻¹ during late summer, low flow conditions. Dissolved silica dynamics differed from those of nitrate because during storm events, silica concentrations in the Yaquina River decreased to near zero at the storm height, probably due to dilution by near surface or overland flow, and later recovered.During the time interval studied, over 94% of the dissolved nitrate and silica were transported from the watershed during the winter months of greater rainfall, indicating that seasonality and river flow are primary factors when considering nutrient loadings from this watershed system.     

Community turnover provides insight into variable invertebrate recovery between restored streams with different integrated catchment management plans

ABSTRACT

Understanding temporal patterns in restored environments is important for identifying potential barriers to recovery and improved management of degraded habitats. In this paper, we use temporal beta diversity analyses to compare invertebrate community recovery trajectories in three restored agricultural stream sites under different integrated catchment plans, a native forest reference site, and two unmodified pasture control stream sites over 24 years. The restored sites diverged from their initial community composition over time and became more similar to the reference site community, which was relatively stable over time. Variation partitioning showed that prior to restoration beta diversity was primarily associated with environmental and spatial drivers, whereas post-restoration beta diversity was more influenced by temporal and environmental drivers, including changes in substrate size, fine sediments, water clarity, and nutrients, as well as temperature and flow regime. Species’ contributions to beta diversity varied between sites and years, with sensitive EPT taxa contributing more in reference and control sites. However, contributions of some EPT species, particularly mayflies, increased in restored sites post-ICM. In summary, after nearly two decades of ICM, restored stream sites show recovery towards reference conditions, yet differences persist, indicating that rehabilitation may take longer, depending on the restoration goals.     

Current-influenced depositional provinces, continental margin off Cape Hatteras, identified by petrologic method

Analyses of DSRV “Alvin” core samples on the Cape Hatteras margin indicate major textural and compositional changes at depths of about 1000 and well below 2500 m. The distribution patterns of petrologic parameters correlate well with water mass flow and suspended-sediment plumes measured on this margin by other workers. Our study also shows: (a) vigorous erosion and sediment transport at depths of less than 400 m resulting from the NE-trending Gulf Stream flow; (b) deposition, largely planktonic-rich sediment released from the Gulf Stream, on the upper- to mid-slope, to depths of about 800–1200 m; (c) winnowing, resuspension and deposition induced by periodically intensified slope currents on the mid-slope to uppermost rise, between about 1000 and 2500 m; and (d) prevailing deposition on the upper rise proper (below 2500 m), from transport by the SW-trending Western Boundary Undercurrent. Sediments moved by bottom currents have altered the composition and distribution patterns of material transported downslope by offshelf spillover; this mixing of gravity-emplaced and bottom-current-transported sediment obscures depositional boundaries. Moreover, reworking of the seafloor by benthic organisms alters physical properties and changes erodability of surficial sediments by bottom currents. Measurement of current flow above the seafloor and direct observation of the bottom are insufficient to delineate surficial sediment boundaries. Detailed petrologic analyses are needed to recognize the long-term signature of processes and define depositional provinces.     

An approach for the determination of hull-girder loads in a seaway including hydrodynamic impacts

The determination of hull-girder loads in a seaway is of particular importance for the design of marine vehicles. This paper shows how the loads can be determined, considering also the impact loads due to slamming. Results have been presented for a fast patrol boat, although the method can be used for other kinds of surface vessels. The theoretical approach presented in the paper is an extension of the linear strip method used extensively in predicting both ship motions and dynamic loads. The equations have been solved by simulating the ship behaviour in an irregular seaway.     

Seismic evidence for pervasive deformation of oceanic sediments in the Eastern Equatorial Atlantic

Seismic reflection profiles from the equatorial Atlantic off Africa between 12°N and 1°N reveal remarkably widespread deformation of oceanic sediments in an area lacking teleseismic activity. Uplift of abyssal plain sequences has occurred along the eastern extensions of large-offset fracture zones on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Between the major transforms pervasive deformation is imaged in the sedimentary column. Diapirism and faulting may have been associated with extensive fluid migration and sediment mobilization. The deformation occurred during the late Cenozoic and was probably related to reactivation of Cretaceous transforms.     

Filters for linear sea-wave prediction

Deterministic sea-wave prediction (DSWP) models are appearing in the literature designed for quiescent interval prediction in marine applications dominated by large swell seas. The approach has focused upon spectral methods which are straightforward and intuitively attractive. However, such methods have the disadvantage that while the sea is aperiodic in nature, the standard discrete spectral processing techniques force an absolutely periodic structure onto the resulting sea surface prediction models. As it is the shape of the sea surface that is important in such applications, particularly near the end of the domain which is important, the standard windowing techniques used in signal processing work to reduce leakage artifacts cannot be employed. This has necessitated the use of end matching methods that can be both inconvenient and may reduce the fraction of the time for which legitimate predictions are available. As a result, an investigation has been undertaken of the use of finite impulse response prediction filters to provide the necessary dispersive phase shifting required in DSWP systems. The present work examines the theoretical basis for such filters and explores their properties together with their application to both long and short crested swell seas. It is shown that wide band forms of such filters are only convergent in the sense of distributions having both infinite duration impulse responses and asymptotically divergent first derivatives. However, appropriate band limitation can produce useful finite impulse responses allowing implementation via standard discrete convolution methods. It is demonstrated that despite the prediction filters having a non-causal impulse response such filters can be used in practice due to a combination of the asymmetric nature of the impulse response and the fundamental nature of the prediction process. The findings are confirmed against actual sea-wave data.     

Geoacoustic Characterisation of Fine-grained Sediments using Single and Multiple Reflection Data

Fine-grained sediments commonly occur in areas of the continental shelf where wave and current energy are weak. Bulk density, compressional wave speed and attenuation are fundamental physical properties of these sediments required for predicting the response of the seabed for diverse branches of marine science. The traditional coring approach is time and labor-intensive, with large uncertainties associated with sediment disturbance in the sampling phase. Acoustic methods offer the advantages of remote sensing, i.e., sampling the sediment structure without mechanical disturbance and a significantly larger seabed coverage rate per unit time. Two different acoustic methods are described: one using short-range single-bounce interactions with the seabed, and the second using long-range modal propagation to infer the sediment properties. The relative strengths and sensitivities of each approach are explored through simulations guided by experience with measured data.