The effects of the 2004 tsunami on a coastal aquifer in Sri Lanka

On December 26, 2004, the earthquake off the southern coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean generated far-reaching tsunami waves, resulting in severe disruption of the coastal aquifers in many countries of the region. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the tsunami on groundwater in coastal areas. Field investigations on the east coast of Sri Lanka were carried out along a transect located perpendicular to the coastline on a 2.4 km wide sand stretch bounded by the sea and a lagoon. Measurements of groundwater table elevation and electrical conductivity (EC) of the groundwater were carried out monthly from October 2005 to August 2007. The aquifer system and tsunami saltwater intrusion were modeled using the variable-density flow and solute transport code HST3D to understand the tsunami plume behavior and estimate the aquifer recovery time. EC values reduced as a result of the monsoonal rainfall following the tsunami with a decline in reduction rate during the dry season. The upper part of the saturated zone (down to 2.5 m) returned to freshwater conditions (EC < 1000 μS/cm) 1 to 1.5 years after the tsunami, according to field observations. On the basis of model simulations, it may take more than 15 years for the entire aquifer (down to 28 m) to recover completely, although the top 6 m of the aquifer may become fresh in about 5 years.     

Long term monitoring of photosystem II herbicides--correlation with remotely sensed freshwater extent to monitor changes in the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Photosystem II (PSII) herbicides are used in large quantities on agricultural lands adjoining the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Routine monitoring at 14 sites in inshore waters of the GBR using passive sampling techniques detected diuron (32-94% of sampling periods) at maximum concentrations of 1.7-430ng L(-1) in the relatively pristine Cape York Region to the Mackay Whitsunday Region, respectively. A PSII herbicide equivalent (PSII-HEq) index developed as an indicator for reporting was dominated by diuron (average contribution 89%) and typically increased during the wet season. The maximum PSII-HEq indicates the potential for photosynthetic inhibition of diatoms, seagrass and coral-symbionts. PSII herbicides were significantly positively correlated with remotely sensed coloured dissolved organic matter, a proxy for freshwater extent. Combining these methods provides for the first time the potential to cost-effectively monitor improvements in water quality entering the GBR with respect to exposure to PSII herbicides.     

Sediment remobilisation from decomposing cordgrass (Spartina anglica) patches on a wave‐exposed intertidal flat

Abstract

Concerns about the potential adverse effects of Spartina invasion on New Zealand estuaries, such as habitat loss and degradation, have led to herbicide use to control its spread. An experiment was conducted in the Manukau Harbour (New Zealand) to determine sediment remobilisation rates (?E) from herbicide‐treated S. anglica patches. Paired treatment and control patches (≤25 m diam.) were monitored at two sites 500 m apart with different wave exposures. Above‐ (AGB) and below‐ground (BGB) biomass decomposition and AE were determined from repeat surveys over c. 2.5 years. Work done by waves (W), which integrates wave‐energy dissipation at the bed over time, was used as a surrogate measure of sediment transport potential. Complete AGB loss occurred in both treated patches within 3 months of initial herbicide application, whereas BGB (a matrix of roots and rhizomes) persisted much longer. An exponential decay model (r ² = 0.6) fitted to the site‐two treatment data predicted an c. 85% reduction in BGB after 5 years, whereas the BGB changes for the larger and more heterogeneous site‐one treatment were more complex. BGB was a better predictor of average bed elevation than AGB in multiple regression models and, although bed elevation decreased through time and with waves, BGB was positively related to bed elevation at both sites. AE was similar for both treatment patches (c. 0.05 and c. 0.06 m yr^‐1, P < 0.001, r² ≥ 0.97) and complete sediment loss was predicted to occur within 6–10 years. The site‐one control patch accumulated sediment (0.01 m yr^‐1 , P < 0.001, r ² = 0.81) whereas the more wave‐exposed site‐two control eroded (0.01 m yr^‐1, P = 0.0017, r ² = 0.61). The potential for adverse sediment effects resulting from Spartina control at wave‐exposed sites will be minimal if the treated areas are small relative to the size of the estuary.     

Recovery of Injected Freshwater from a Brackish Aquifer with a Multiwell System

Herein we propose a multiple injection and recovery well system strategically operated for freshwater storage in a brackish aquifer. With the system we call aquifer storage transfer and recovery (ASTR) by using four injection and two production wells, we are capable of achieving both high recovery efficiency of injected freshwater and attenuation of contaminants through adequately long residence times and travel distances within the aquifer. The usual aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) scheme, in which a single well is used for injection and recovery, does not warrant consistent treatment of injected water due to the shorter minimum residence times and travel distances. We tested the design and operation of the system over 3 years in a layered heterogeneous limestone aquifer in Salisbury, South Australia. We demonstrate how a combination of detailed aquifer characterization and solute transport modeling can be used to maintain acceptable salinity of recovered water for its intended use along with natural treatment of recharge water. ASTR can be used to reduce treatment costs and take advantage of aquifers with impaired water quality that might locally not be otherwise beneficially used.     

Navigating marine electromagnetic transmitters using dipole field geometry

The marine controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) technique has been adopted by the hydrocarbon industry to characterize the resistivity of targets identified from seismic data prior to drilling. Over the years, marine controlled source electromagnetic has matured to the point that four‐dimensional or time lapse surveys and monitoring could be applied to hydrocarbon reservoirs in production, or to monitor the sequestration of carbon dioxide. Marine controlled source electromagnetic surveys have also been used to target shallow resistors such as gas hydrates. These novel uses of the technique require very well constrained transmitter and receiver geometry in order to make meaningful and accurate geologic interpretations of the data. Current navigation in marine controlled source electromagnetic surveys utilize a long base line, or a short base line, acoustic navigation system to locate the transmitter and seafloor receivers. If these systems fail, then rudimentary navigation is possible by assuming the transmitter follows in the ship's track. However, these navigational assumptions are insufficient to capture the detailed orientation and position of the transmitter required for both shallow targets and repeat surveys. In circumstances when acoustic navigation systems fail we propose the use of an inversion algorithm that solves for transmitter geometry. This algorithm utilizes the transmitter's electromagnetic dipole radiation pattern as recorded by stationary, close range (<1000 m), receivers in order to model the geometry of the transmitter. We test the code with a synthetic model and validate it with data from a well navigated controlled source electromagnetic survey over the Scarborough gas field in Australia.     

Case studies in interannual to decadal climate predictability

The predictability of ocean and climate variables is investigated, using a perfect model-based case study approach that recognises that predictability is dependent on the initial climate state. In line with previous studies, large scale ocean variables show predictability for several years or more; by contrast, the predictability of climate variables is generally limited to 2 years at most. That predictability shows high sensitivity to the initial state is demonstrated by predictable climate signals arising in different regions, variables and seasons for different initial conditions. The predictability of climate variables in the second year is of particular interest, because this is beyond the timescale that is usually considered to be the limit of seasonal predictability. For different initial conditions, second year predictability is found in: temperatures in southeastern North America (winter) and western Europe (winter and summer), and precipitation in India (summer monsoon) and in the tropical South Atlantic. Second year predictability arises either from persistence of large-scale sea surface temperature (SST) and related ocean heat content anomalies, particularly in regions such as the North Atlantic and Southern Ocean, or from mechanisms that involve El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics.     

Localized versus regional adaptation in limpet shell morphology across the Iberian Peninsula

The climate‐envelope approach to predicting climate‐induced species range shift is limited. There are many possible reasons for this, but one novel explanation is that species adapt to changes in temperature at the expense of adaptation to other stressors. Here we test this hypothesis using the limpet Patella depressa (Mollusca, Patellidae), over a large geographical area covering most of the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, known to consist of a genetically inter‐connected population. We examine limpet shell morphology on four shores in each of three regions, from Northern Spain to Southern Portugal. Within each region, shell morphology (measured as maximum shell profile to length ratio) varied between shore types differing in their insolation, wave action, microhabitat availability and biological factors. However, this ratio, which is known to be an adaptive response to heat stress, was found to be consistently higher in more southern latitudes despite differences between shore types being found in all regions. This implies that localized adaptation to shore type (most likely through phenotypic plasticity) is compromised by factors that change over latitudinal or regional scales, or which could occur in response to climate change. Although such climate‐induced changes may initially be localized, compromised adaptation (through phenotypic or genetic plasticity) may result in altered community interactions and potentially large shifts in community structure.