Effects of organic toxicants on the anoxic energy metabolism of the mussel Mytilus edulis

The anoxic rates of heat dissipation by mussels (Mytilus edulis) were enhanced after exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) and tributyltin (TBT), both known uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. The degree of metabolic activation under anoxia was dependent upon the amount of toxicant accumulated in the tissues, but the concentration-response relationship was different to that under aerobic conditions. Biochemical measurements indicated that the anaerobic metabolic pathways were significantly disturbed by PCP and TBT. There was a decline in succinate, an increase in the fumarate: succinate ratio, and an increase in the accumulation of lactate, indicating a shift from succinate to lactate anaerobic pathways. A consequence of organic toxicant exposure was a reduction in anoxic survival time of mussels.     

Current and temperature observations in the east Tsushima channel and the Sea of Genkai

Data on the Tsushima Current and its neighboring coastal current are analyzed to examine short-term variability of the currents and storm events due to typhoons. A three current-meter array was deployed in a strong current region of the east Tsushima channel during summer in 1983 and 1984, and other two current-meter arrays in the eastern coastal area of the channel (the Sea of Genkai) in the summer and autumn in 1983. The observations of coastal current show that the kinetic energy of the subtidal current component was larger in summer than in autumn by a factor of about 2. A comparison of the wind stresses and the estimated values of mixed layer depth in the summer and autumn season suggest that this seasonal change is closely associated with that of the mixed layer depth rather than with that of the wind stress. The Tsushima Current was greatly influenced by two storm events: its speed increased by a factor of 2 in one event and decreased to nearly zero in the other. Such a large variation of mean current during the storm was observed only for the Tsushima Current and not for the coastal current, suggesting that the Tsushima Current may temporarily change its regular course as a result of a storm.     

Remote sensing composite information of Nansha reef''s closed atoll and model of its spatial structur evolution——Ⅱ

Based on the Nansha Islands' closed atoll conception-remote sensing system in Part Ⅰ,through the solution of the information function value and isostatic value of closed and quasi-closed atoll, and by using topological analysis on growth form and the composite remote sensing quantization date as the calculating coefficients, the feature vector system and its mathematical model of two kinds of atoll are built, and the multivariate analysis is made with some examples.     

Artificial Reefs in the Low Productive Marine Environments of the Southeastern Mediterranean

Abstract. Fishery yields in the oligotrophic waters of the Southeastern Mediterranean arc low due to habitat and food limitations. A four year study of a complex of artificial structures established in the coastal waters of Israel points to several possible solutions to these problems. One approach is the artificial enrichment of the man-made reef with trash fish. This, together with the configuration of the reef, caused a significant increase in the abundance of fish predators such as groupers of the genus Epinephclus. Omnivores and herbivores were attracted only by the presence of artificial structures. Some species, such as the slipper lobster Scyllurides lulus, only use the man-made reef for shelter during part of the day or season; they forage over a much larger area the rest of the time and are important "importers" of food to the artificial habitat. Artificial kelp were effective in recruiting juveniles and small fishes to the site.     

Nankai Trough: A hot trench?

Heat flow estimated from the gas hydrate layers on the landward slope of the Nankai Trough reveals that heat flow increases downslope toward the trench floor. This data plus six new heat flow values obtained by a conventional probe and two values available from DSDP drill holes give a fairly detailed heat flow distribution in the Nankai Trough area, when combined with the already existing data set. There appears to be a zonal pattern parallel to the trough axis, with a high heat flow zone on the floor of the trough that is quite anomalous for a subduction zone. It might be explained as a result of subduction of the hot portion of the Philippine Sea plate, i.e. the Shikoku Basin, and/or of more local effects such as heating due to intrusion of hot water from subducted sediments to shallow depth beneath the trough floor. Surface heat flow patterns landward of the trough were calculated for a simple thermal model of subduction. Perfect reproduction of the observed zonal pattern is difficult to achieve by the simple model, suggesting the necessity for further heat flow and other observations.     

Geoid height anomalies over the Cape Verde Rise

Geoid height anomalies, as determined by satellite altimetry, suggest that the Cape Verde Rise is in local isostatic equilibrium, supported by a low-density root of altered lithosphere. A depth anomaly map shows the Cape Verde Rise to be approximately 1600 km wide and 2km high. Removal of a quadratic surface from the observed geoid heights leaves a residual positive anomaly with the same shape as the rise and an amplitude of about 8 m. The ratio of residual geoid height anomaly to depth anomaly is consistent with an isostatic root only 40 km deep on average.     

The importance of extratropical and tropical cyclones on the short-term evolution of barrier islands along the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA

Data are presented indicating the complexity and highly variable response of beaches to cold front passages along the northern Gulf of Mexico, in addition to the impacts of tropical cyclones and winter storms. Within the past decade, an increase in the frequency of tropical storms and hurricanes impacting the northern Gulf has dramatically altered the long-term equilibrium of a large portion of this coast. A time series of net sediment flux for subaerial and nearshore environments has been established for a section of this coast in Florida, and to a lesser extent, Mississippi. The data incorporate the morphological signature of six tropical storms/hurricanes and more than 200 frontal passages.

Data indicate that (1) barrier islands can conserve mass during catastrophic hurricanes (e.g., Hurricane Opal, a strong category 4 hurricane near landfall); (2) less severe hurricanes and tropical storms can promote rapid dune aggradation and can contribute sediment to the entire barrier system; (3) cold fronts play a critical role in the poststorm adjustment of the barrier by deflating the subaerial portion of the overwash terrace and eroding its marginal lobe along the bayside beach through locally generated, high frequency, steep waves; and (4) barrier systems along the northern Gulf do not necessarily enter an immediate poststorm recovery phase, although nested in sediment-rich nearshore environments. While high wave energy conditions associated with cold fronts play an integral role in the evolution and maintenance of barriers along the northern Gulf, these events are more effective in reworking sediment after the occurrence of extreme events such as hurricanes. This relationship is even more apparent during the clustering of tropical cyclones.

It is anticipated that these findings will have important implications for the longer term evolution of barrier systems in midlatitude, microtidal settings where the clustering of storms is apparent, and winter storms are significant in intensity and frequency along the coast.     

黄渤海底层盐度预报方法的研究

根据二维流体动力学方程和深度平均盐度扩散方程在河口径流量以及蒸发和降水之差为已知情况下构成的闭合方程组,预报出深度平均盐度,然后利用底层盐度与深度平均盐度、水深和时间(月)之间的经验关系,给出底层盐度的二维预报。为了检验试报结果的可靠性,文中将黄渤海底层盐度的试报结果(1979年7月11日,时效为3d)与标准断面观测资料(7月4—14日观测,124.5°E以西,共104站)作一粗略比较。比较表明,试报结果与实测值的相关系数为0.96,均方误差为α=0.26,绝对误差小于0.2和0.3的站数分别占总站数的63.5％和77.0％,而总均绝差为0.19。由此可见,试报的效果是令人满意的。     

Semisubmersible response to transient ice forces

The paper presents an analytical and experimental study on the transient response of semisubmersibles to bergybit impact and the strength of bergybit ice to high strain-rate loadings. Two approaches have been proposed for the solution of the semisubmersible-bergybit interaction problem, one using the energy approach and the other using the conventional structural dynamics approach with initial velocity conditions. In addition the local behaviour of the impacted regions have been analysed for deformation and failure. Numerical results have been given for local behaviour of an impacted column and global behaviour of semisubmersible-bergybit system. Experimental study has been reported on the impact strength of iceberg ice at strain rates of 10⁻³, 10⁻² and 10⁻¹; the indentation impact strength of ice is found to be 3–4 times the unaixial compressive strength, at the same strain rate.