Reduced abundance of banded kokopu (Galaxias fasciatus) and other native fish in turbid rivers of the North Island of New Zealand

Laboratory experiments demonstrated that migrant juvenile banded kokopu (Galaxias fasciatus Gray) were more sensitive to suspended sediment (SS) than other native fish species. If juvenile migrants avoid waters made turbid by SS and their recruitment to adult habitats up stream is reduced, then adult abundance may decline in turbid rivers. To test this, we compared the abundance of diadromous native fish between turbid and clear rivers. The duration (% time) for which SS concentrations exceeded 120 mg litre^‐1 (a critical level from laboratory experiments) during the migration season (August‐December) was estimated for over 150 New Zealand river sites. Turbid rivers were defined as those where SS concentrations exceeded 120 mg litre^‐1 for over 20% of the time and clear rivers as those where SS concentrations exceeded 120 mg litre^‐1 for less than 10% of the time. Eight turbid rivers and seven clear ones were identified where sufficient data on SS and native fish populations existed to permit a comparison. The mean occurrence of banded kokopu was reduced by 89.5% in turbid rivers and, although other diadromous fish species were also less common, banded kokopu was most affected. Densities of adult banded kokopu were also significantly lower in optimal stream habitats in three turbid compared with three matched clear rivers. We therefore concluded that the abundance of adult banded kokopu was reduced in turbid rivers and propose that this is because of reduced recruitment of juveniles in turbid rivers.     

Land use,associated eel production,and abundance of fish and crayfish in streams in Waikato,New Zealand

Abstract

The density and biomass of fish and crayfish, and the production of eels, was compared among streams in native forest, exotic forest, and pasture. Populations were estimated by multiple‐pass electroshocking at 11 sites in hill‐country streams in the Waikato region, North Island. Three sites were in native forest, four in exotic forest, and four in pasture. Length of stream sampled at each site was 46–94 m (41–246 m² in area), and catchment areas up stream of the sites ranged from 0.44 to 2.01 km².

A total of 487 fish were caught. The species were longfinned and shortfinned eels, banded kokopu, Cran's and redfinned bullies, and common smelt. Eels were the most abundant fish in all three land‐use types, and shortfinned eels were more abundant at pastoral sites (mean density 1.11 fish m^?2) than longfinned eels (mean density 0.129 fish m^?2). Banded kokopu were present only at forested sites. Mean fish densities were greater at pastoral sites (1.55 fish m^?2) than under either native forest (0.130 fish m^?2) or exotic forest (0.229 fish m^?2). Mean fish biomass was also greater at pastoral sites (89.7 g m^?2) than under native forest (12.8 g m^?2) or exotic forest (19.3 g m^?2). Longfinned eels made a greater contribution to the fish biomass at all sites than did shortfinned eels. Densities of crayfish were high (0.46–5.40 crayfish m^?2), but were not significantly different between land‐use types. Crayfish biomass ranged from 1.79 to 11.2 g m^?2. Total eel production was greater at pastoral sites (mean 17.9 g m^?2 year¹) than at forest sites (mean 2.39 gm^?2 year^?1).     

Effects of mechanical macrophyte control on suspended sediment concentrations in streams

Suspended sediment (SS) is an important pollutant in freshwater ecosystems and can be detrimental to fish communities. Although macrophytes mediate sediment deposition, little effort has been put into determining how their removal affects sediment resuspension. The present study examined the immediate and long-term impacts of mechanical macrophyte removal on SS concentrations in streams. The results of this study suggest that bed disturbance during mechanical excavation of macrophytes significantly increases SS in the short term, and concentrations were found to increase by as much as 15,687 mg L^–1 immediately after macrophyte removal. Significant long-term (77 day) increases in SS were also observed, indicating that without macrophytes, disturbed material is continually resuspended after excavation by fluvial processes. These results demonstrate that macrophyte removal can result in SS levels that have previously been shown to harm fish, and indicate that this activity may be more detrimental to fish than previously thought.     

The Australia telescope 20 GHz survey: hardware, observing strategy, and scanning survey catalog

The Australia Telescope 20 GHz (AT20G) survey is a large area (2?? sr), sensitive (40 mJy), high frequency (20 GHz) survey of the southern sky. The survey was conducted in two parts: an initial fast scanning survey, and a series of more accurate follow-up observations. The follow-up survey catalog has been presented by Murphy et al. (MNRAS 402:2403, 2010). In this paper we discuss the hardware setup and scanning survey strategy as well as the production of the scanning survey catalog.     

Sensitivity of an ecosystem model to hydrology and temperature

We tested the sensitivity of a dynamic ecosystem model (LPJ-GUESS) to the representation of soil moisture and soil temperature and to uncertainties in the prediction of precipitation and air temperature. We linked the ecosystem model with an advanced hydrological model (JULES) and used its soil moisture and soil temperature as input into the ecosystem model. We analysed these sensitivities along a latitudinal gradient in northern Russia. Differences in soil temperature and soil moisture had only little influence on the vegetation carbon fluxes, whereas the soil carbon fluxes were very sensitive to the JULES soil estimations. The sensitivity changed with latitude, showing stronger influence in the more northern grid cell. The sensitivity of modelled responses of both soil carbon fluxes and vegetation carbon fluxes to uncertainties in soil temperature were high, as both soil and vegetation carbon fluxes were strongly impacted. In contrast, uncertainties in the estimation of the amount of precipitation had little influence on the soil or vegetation carbon fluxes. The high sensitivity of soil respiration to soil temperature and moisture suggests that we should strive for a better understanding and representation of soil processes in ecosystem models to improve the reliability of predictions of future ecosystem changes.     

The radius and other fundamental parameters of the F9 V star β Virginis

We have used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) to measure the angular diameter of the F9 V star β Virginis (β Vir). After correcting for limb darkening and combining with the revised Hipparcos parallax, we derive a radius of  1.703 ± 0.022 R_⊙  (1.3 per cent). We have also calculated the bolometric flux from published measurements which, combined with the angular diameter, implies an effective temperature of  6059 ± 49 K  (0.8 per cent). We also derived the luminosity of β Vir to be   L = 3.51 ± 0.08 L_⊙  (2.1 per cent). Solar-like oscillations were measured in this star by Carrier et al. and using their value for the large frequency separation yields the mean stellar density with an uncertainty of about 2 per cent. Our constraints on the fundamental parameters of β Vir will be important to test the theoretical models of this star and its oscillations.     

A new look at the Rockall region, offshore Ireland

A 700 km wide-angle reflection/refraction profile carried out in the central North Atlantic west of Ireland crossed the Erris Trough, Rockall Trough and Rockall Bank, and terminated in the western Hatton-Rockall Basin. The results reveal the presence of a number of sedimentary basins separated by basement highs. The Rockall Trough, with a sedimentary pile up to 5 km thick, is underlain by thinned continental crust 8–10 km thick. Some major fault block structures are identified, especially on the eastern margin of the Rockall Trough and in the adjacent Erris Trough. The Hatton-Rockall Basin is underlain by westward-thinning continental crust 22–10 km thick. Sedimentary strata are up to 5 km thick. The strata in the Rockall Trough and Hatton-Rockall Basin probably range in age from Late Palaeozoic to Cenozoic. However, the basins have different sedimentation histories and differ in structural style. The geometry of the crust and sediments suggests that the Rockall Trough originated by pure shear crustal stretching, associated with rift deposits and Cenozoic thermal sag strata. In contrast, the development of the Erris Trough, located on unthinned continental crust, was facilitated by shallow, brittle extension with little deep crustal attenuation. A two-layered crust occurs throughout the region. The lower crustal velocity in the Hatton-Rockall Basin is higher than that in the Rockall Trough. The velocity structure shows no indication of crustal underplating by upper mantle material in the region.     

Shoaling of sixth-order Stokes waves on a current

Jonsson and Arneborg (Jonsson, I.G., Arneborg, L., 1995. Energy properties and shoaling of higher-order Stokes waves on a current. Ocean Engng 22, 819-857.) combined energy flux and set-down to make shoaling predictions for fourth-order Stokes waves with and without a net volume flux. With basis in their expressions, sixth-order expressions are derived and combined to make shoaling predictions correct to sixth order with an arbitrary net volume flux. The new sixth-order results are compared with the fourth-order results and the practically exact results obtained by Sobey and Bando (Sobey R.J., Bando K., 1991. Variations on higher-order shoaling. J. Waterway, Port, Coastal Ocean Engng ASCE 117, 348-368) with a Fourier 18 model. The effects of introducing sixth-order theory rather than the fourth-order theory in shoaling calculations are in general found to be small. As expected the deviations increase with increasing wave-steepness, decreasing depth and opposing currents. Also as expected, the results obtained with the sixth-order expressions improve the results obtained with the fourth-order expressions when compared to the results of Sobey and Bando. As novelties, some considerations regarding the consistency of odd- and even-order shoaling calculations, and the magnitude of the bottom slope, are presented. Furthermore a comparison between the wave-induced current and the total current is given.     

Calcmylonites and solution transfer in a Devonian reef at Warstein,Germany

Massive limestone complexes of Late Palaeozoic age are scattered across the allochthonous foreland of the Hercynides in Germany. One of these complexes is situated at Warstein. Stratigraphic facies studies have represented the Warstein complex as a reef in a coastal shelf. Our study emphasizes that at least part of the reef consists of a pile of calcmylonites.The calcmylonites have a strong foliation (S_m) and lineation (L_m) and a structural asymmetry indicating non-coaxial deformation. X-ray textures and calcite microstructures show that the mylonitization involved intracrystalline deformation and dynamic recrystallization. These processes competed with solution transfer, as the mylonites are corroded at S_m-parallel stylolites and contain carbonate veins. Cathodoluminescopy shows that some veins are parallel to S_m and have been recrystallized, whereas others are normal to S_m and retain a fibrous crackseal microstructure. The latter type created limestones showing a pair of preferred grain boundary orientations; one normal to S_m, one in S_m. This orthogonal boundary fabric is distinct from crystalplastic fabrics: the latter show only one preferred grain boundary orientation (in S_m).

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Zusammenfassung Massenkalkkomplexe spätpaläozoischen Alters liegen verstreut über das allochthone Vorland des Variszischen Gebirges in Deutschland. Einer dieser Komplexe liegt bei Warstein. Stratigraphische Faziesstudien haben den Warsteiner Komplex als ein Riff in einem küstennahen Schelf dargestellt. Die vorliegende Arbeit betont, daß wenigstens ein Teil des Riffes aus einer Stapelung von Kalkmyloniten besteht.Die Kalkmylonite haben eine starke Foliation (S_m) und Lineation (L_m), und eine strukturelle Asymmetrie die auf nicht-koaxiale Verformung hinweist. Röntgentexturen und Calcitmikrostrukturen zeigen, daß die Mylonitisierung intrakristalline Verformung und dynamische Rekristallisation beinhaltet. Diese Prozesse müssen mit Lösungstransport konkurriert haben, da die Mylonite an S_m-parallelen Styloliten korrodiert sind und Karbonatgänge erhalten. Kathodolumineskopie zeigt, daß einige Gänge (parallel zu S_m) rekristallisiert sind, während andere (senkrecht zu S_m) eine faserige crack-seal Mikro-Struktur enthalten. Der letzte Typ ist verbunden mit Konformgefügen. Diese unterscheiden sich von kristallplastischen Kornformgefügen, da sie eine zweite bevorzugte Korngrenzorientierung aufweisen, die senkrecht zur ersten (in S_m) einfällt.

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Résumé Les complexes de calcaires massifs de l'Âge paléozoîque supérieure sont repandus sur l'avantpays allochthone des Hercynides en Allemagne. Un de ces complexes est situé à Warstein. Les Études de faciès stratigraphiques ont répresenté le complexe à Warstein comme un Récif littoral. Notre étude montre que au moins partie de ce «Récif» consiste en un empilement des calcmylonites.Les calcmylonites ont une foliation (S_m) et linéation (L_m) fort, et une asymmetrie structurale indiquant de la déformation non-coaxiale. Les textures röntgenographiques et les microstructures calcitiques montrent que la mylonitization était incluse de déformation intracristalline et récristallisation dynamique. Ces processus auront été en compétition avec dissolution-cristallization («solution transfer»), car les mylonites sont corrodées aux stylolites parallel à S_m et contient des veines carbonatiques. La cathodoluminescopie montre que quelques veines (parallel à S_m) sont récristallisées, pendant que les autres (perpendiculaire à S_m) ont retenu une microstructure fibreuse («crack-seal»). Le dernier type est lié avec des fabriques de forme des grains. Ils se sont distingués des fabriques de plasticité cristalline par la présence d'une deuxième orientation préférentielle des bordures des grains, perpendiculaire à la première (dans S_m).

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