Implications from a field study regarding the relationship between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and glutathione S-transferase activity in mussels

An aluminium smelter on the west coast of Scotland discharges an aqueous effluent containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the head of Loch Leven. The loch also supports two mussel (Mytilus edulis) farms. Data are presented on burdens of PAHs in the soft tissues of mussels and the effect of these contaminants on glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in mussel hepatopancreas. GST activity is shown to be correlated with total PAH burden and also with the concentrations of certain individual PAHs. These field data show that high molecular weight PAHs are closely correlated to GST activity, whereas low molecular weight PAHs are not. This suggests that 5- and 6-ring PAHs have a more pronounced role than 2- to 4-ring compounds in inducing GST activity in mussels from Loch Leven. It is proposed that it may be more appropriate to link GST activity with 5- and 6-ring compounds only, rather than with the total PAH burden.     

Modelling of the ecosystem of the Black-Sea shelf zone near the estuary of the Danube

We analyze the results of numerical calculations performed according to the three-dimensional interdisciplinary model of an ecological system of the Black-Sea shelf zone near the estuary of the Danube. The complete system of equations of hydrothermodynamics is solved together with transport equations of the advection-diffusion-reaction type used to describe the transformation of a substance (nitrogen) between the components of the characteristic vectors of the ecosystem: plankton, detritus, and biogenic elements (nitrates). We describe the distinctive features of the circumcontinental distribution of components obtained as a result of numerical experiments and present arguments for the conclusion that the ecosystem of the Danube estuary water area plays the role of a buffer zone between the press of the Danubian biogenic pollutions and the neighbouring areas of the shelf zone and open sea. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

Microbial assemblages associated with sinking particles in the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (NE Atlantic Ocean)

Downward fluxes of microbial assemblages associated with sinking particles sampled in sediment traps deployed at nominal depths of 1000 m (trap A), 3000 m (trap B) and 4700 m (trap C) were measured between October 1995 and August 1998 on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP, NE Atlantic). The goal of the study was to provide detailed information on the microbial contributions to the particulate organic carbon and DNA fluxes. Bacterial fluxes associated with settling particles in the PAP area were generally low and significantly lower than bacterial fluxes reported from the same area during 1989–90. Marked seasonal pulses in the microbial assemblages were observed in all years that were associated with particle flux maxima in April–June. No significant differences were found in microbial fluxes between 1000 and 4700 m depth, but both the bacterial biomass flux and the frequency of dividing bacteria increased with depth, suggesting that organic matter turnover and conversion into bacterial biomass increased in the deeper traps. The structure of microbial assemblages displayed clear changes with increasing depth; the ratios of bacteria to both flagellates and cyanobacteria increased up to 4-fold between 1000 and 4700 m, showing a marked increase in bacterial dominance in the deeper layers of the water column. A parallel increase of the bacterial contribution to particulate organic carbon (POC) and DNA fluxes was observed. Total microbial contribution to the POC flux in the PAP area was about 2%, whereas the contribution of cyanobacteria was negligible. Fluxes of microbial assemblages were significantly correlated with DNA fluxes and on average the bacteria accounted for 5% of DNA fluxes. Data reported here confirm that the “rain” of particulate bacterial DNA may represent an important source of nucleotides for deep-sea bacteria, but also suggests that a much larger pool of detrital DNA is potentially available to deep-sea micro-organisms.     

Dynamics of a moored barge under regular and random waves

Developments in the study of wave forces and construction techniques in deep water by the offshore oil industry have increased the use of marine terminals at deep water locations. A thorough understanding of moored ship dynamics when subjected to waves, wind and current combined with the use of flexible mooring lines would help to design berthing terminals for exposed areas. In this paper, the three dimensional problem of wave interactions with a barge moored to a single point is dealt with, based on the finite element method. The effect of flexibility of the mooring line and the point of mooring on the response of the barge as well as the mooring line tension is investigated. The paper compares the numerical results with model tests carried out on a barge moored to a fixed support under regular and random waves in head sea. The effect of stiffness of the mooring line on the barge response for different mooring points is discussed, which would be useful for the designers. The effect of viscous damping is also considered. The analytical results are in good agreement with the experimental results in both regular and random waves.     

A unified, polynomial approach for the approximate solution of thermoelastic problems in rectangular plates

The present paper, of a tutorial nature, solves two different thermoelastic problems using a unified approach: (a) thermoelastic stresses and deflections in thin, rectangular plates with edges elastically restrained against rotation when small-deflection theory is used and stress resultants in the middle plane of the plates are neglected; and (b) thermoelastic plane stress situations in rectangular plates with stress-free edges subjected to a two-dimensional temperature distribution.The first problem is attacked using polynomial coordinate functions which identically satisfy the governing boundary conditions, and the Ritz method is used to determine the plate response. When the flexibility coefficients approach zero (clamped edge conditions) the calculated results practically coincide with the exact solution for the test case treated in this paper. On the other hand this degenerate solution turns out to be a very convenient approximation for obtaining a solution to Airy's problem described in the second place and which is also solved in a straightforward manner using a variational approach.     

About the relationship between acoustic fields and hydrological fields in the area of a mesoscale eddy in the Black Sea

This paper discusses the application of acoustic sounding with the purpose of identifying vortical features in the sea. Analysis of the results of a multidisciplinary acoustic/hydrological experiment conducted in the Black Sea has revealed a stable recurrent correlation between the amplitudinal variance of echo signals, on the one hand, and the peculiarities of water temperature fields, on the other. Given these characteristics, the peripheral and the central areas of a mesoscale eddy essentially differed. This allows us to apply acoustic sounding to identify mesoscale eddies in the sea. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

池沼公鱼耳石日轮的观察研究

于1989年3－8月，从辽阳汤河水库捕取成熟的池沼公鱼，获得人工授精卵。用压片法光镜下连续观察胚胎发育后期和前仔鱼期耳石轮纹的形成，并采集已知月龄的幼、成鱼耳石，制片镜检轮纹数量和排列。结果表明，仔鱼在印黄接近吸收完并开始摄食外界食物时，即孵出后第6d至第7d形成第1个轮纹，之后每天一轮，这些轮纹就是日轮；日轮间距呈规律性变化，这些变化与鱼体生长发育及生态条件密切相关。     

高精度新方法测量计算船舶磁场分布

将高精度质子磁探仪和位场变换理论用于测量计算船舶磁场，以研究其在海洋中的分布。由质子磁探仪实测海面上１０ｍ处磁场的模（船的磁场与地磁场矢量的和的绝对值），用位场变换理论计算出船的磁场三个分量在水面和水下的分布；并采用一系列有效措施，提高计算速度和结果的精度。将该方法和磁球理论严格解比较，在ｚ＝０面上误差小于０．１％，在ｚ＝－２０ｍ面上误差小于１％；还给出船的磁场强度在船的纵横向的分布曲线和平面立体     

珠江口水体中铜与悬浮颗粒物相互作用的研究

使用无机离子交换法研究珠江口水体中铜与悬浮颗粒物的相互作用，测出钢与悬浮颗粒物相互作用的ｐＨ曲线呈Ｓ形，其分级离子交换等温线是一种新的“台阶”型；从分级离子交换理论求得分级平衡常数Ｋ１为５．０，Ｋ２为７８．１，珠江口水体中铜的表观络合容量为０．９２μｍ及其条件稳定常数为３．５×１０７。