First manned submersible dives on the East Pacific Rise at 21°N (project RITA): General results

A submersible study has been conducted in February–March 1978 at the axis of the East Pacific Rise near 21°N. The expedition CYAMEX, the first submersible program to be conducted on the East Pacific Rise, is part of the French-American-Mexican project RITA (Rivera-Tamayo), a 3-year study devoted to detailed geological and geophysical investigations of the East Pacific Rise Crest. On the basis of the 15 dives made by CYANA in the axial area of the Rise, a morphological and tectonic zonation can be established for this moderately-fast spreading center. A narrow, 0.6 to 1.2 km wide zone of extrusion (zone 1), dominated by young lava flows, is flanked by a highly fissured and faulted zone of extension (zone 2) with a width of 1 to 2 km. Further out, zone 3 is dominated by outward tilted blocks bounded by inward-facing fault scarps. Active or recent faults extend up to 12 km from the axis of extrusion of the East Pacific Rise. This represents the first determination from direct field evidence of the width of active tectonism associated with an accreting plate boundary. Massive sulfide deposits, made principally of zinc, copper and iron, were found close to the axis of the Rise. Other signs of the intense hydrothermal activity included the discovery of benthic fauna of gian size similar to that found at the axis of the Galapagos Rift. We emphasize the cyclic character of the volcanicity. The main characteristics of the geology of this segment of the East Pacific Rise can be explained by the thermal structure at depth below this moderately-fast spreading center. The geological observations are compatible with the existence of a shallow magma reservoir centered at the axis of the Rise with a half-width of the order of 10 km.     

Explaining global patterns and trends in marine protected area (MPA) development

The relative paucity and heterogeneous distribution of marine protected areas (MPAs) indicates the need for better understanding of factors that foster MPA establishment at local, sub-national, and national levels. The relationship between national-level MPA establishment and geographic, ecological, social, and political factors that may drive patterns and trends in MPA establishment were assessed. A country's coastline length is the strongest predictor of both the number and spatial extent of MPAs. Controlling for coastline, the Human Development Index (HDI) and spatial overlap with designated conservation priority areas are positively correlated with MPA establishment. Surprisingly, some factors influencing MPA establishment in case studies, such as percentage of fishers within a population, were not correlated with MPA establishment on a national scale. These national dynamics explain a relatively small proportion of variation, however, indicating that other biological or social factors, as well as sub-national processes, also influence MPA establishment. Positive and negative outliers illuminate the importance of policy engagement at both national and local levels. Ensuring a supportive enabling environment at the national or even multi-national level can enhance success at the local level.     

Cape cormorants decrease,move east and adapt foraging strategies following eastward displacement of their main prey

Numbers of Cape cormorants Phalacrocorax capensis breeding in South Africa decreased by nearly 50% from approximately 107 000 pairs in 1977–1981 to 57 000 pairs in 2010–2014. Although four colonies had >10 000 pairs in 1977–1981, there was just one such colony in 2010–2014. Almost all the decrease occurred after the early 1990s off north-west South Africa, between the Orange River estuary and Dassen Island. South of this, the number breeding in the two periods was stable, with some colonies being formed or growing rapidly in the 2000s. The proportion of South Africa’s Cape cormorants that bred south of Dassen Island increased from 35% in 1977–1981 to 66% in 2010–2014, with the opposite situation observed in the north-west. This matched a shift to the south and east in the distributions of two of the Cape cormorant’s main prey species, anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax. In 2014, an apparent scarcity of prey in the north-west resulted in Cape cormorants attempting to take bait from hooks of fishing lines over an extended period, a behaviour not previously recorded. The number of Cape cormorants breeding in the south may be constrained by the absence of large islands between Dyer Island in the west and Algoa Bay in the east. If so, it may be possible to bolster the southern population through the provision of appropriate breeding habitat, such as platforms, or restricting human disturbance at suitable mainland cliff breeding sites.     

Estimates of quasipolar absorption by methane in the atmosphere of Titan

The basis for “quasipolar” absorption (QPA) by CH₄ is the existence of a small electric dipole moment in its ground state. The integrated intensity α_QPA at a temperature of 90K is calculated to be between 4.8 × 10^?5 and 1.9 × 10^?2 cm^?2 atm^?1. With an assumed mean pressure of 0.1 atm and a relative abundance of $\text{[}\text{CH}{}_4\text{]}\text{[}\text{H}{}_2\text{]}\text{= 1}$, it is estimated that the ratio of quasipolar to pressure-induced absorption (PIA) is 0.05 ? α_QPA/α_PIA ? 18 for the spectral range from 0 to 300 cm^?1. This result suggests that quasipolar absorption may contribute to a weak, CH₄-induced greenhouse in the atmosphere of Titan.     

Oregon coastal salt marsh upper limits and tidal datums

Three coastal salt marshes were surveyed independently by two teams of biologists to determine the upper limit of marsh. Distribution of species and species assemblages were related to surveyed elevations for South Beach marsh, Yaquina River estuary; Drift Creek marsh, Alsea River estuary; and Bandon marsh, Coquille River estuary. A transition zone between marsh and upland was identified by strong dominance ofPotentilla pacifica and the presence ofAchillea millefolium, Angelica lucida, Aster subspicatus, Oenanthe sarmentosa, Trifolium wormskjoldii, andVicia gigantea. Mean elevation of the lower boundary of the transition zone was 1.38 m above National Geodetic Vertical Datum (N.G.V.D.) and the upper boundary of the transition zone was 1.54 m above N. G. V. D. Relation of the upper limit of marsh to tidal datums varied with marsh. Mean elevation of the upper and lower limit of the transition zone was 0.58 m above MHW and 0.36 m above MHW, respectively. The two teams of biologists using the same biological criteria for defining the upper limit of marsh, independently agreed on the elevational position of the upper limit of marsh. Additional research and testing of the definition of the upper limit of marsh is warranted.     

Testing the durability of limestone for Cathedral façade restoration

This research aimed to specify an optimum replacement stone for Truro Cathedral. A variety of petrographically and visually similar material to the original Bath stone was initially selected. The stones were subjected to three different durability tests; Sodium sulphate crystallisation and large scale testing with both accelerated and climatic freeze-thaw cyclic loading. The most suitable stone was determined as the one with the best performance characteristics overall.     

Food Habits of Large Nektonic Fishes: Trophic Linkages in Delaware Bay and the Adjacent Ocean

Fish diets play a critical role in our understanding of aquatic trophic dynamics and are an important component in developing ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management. Although large nektonic fishes exert top-down predator effects on the food web and typically support viable commercial and recreational fisheries, little is known about the diet of this guild. We evaluated the diets (6327 stomachs) of four nektonic predatory fishes (Pomatomus saltatrix [78–395 mm], Cynoscion regalis [91–520 mm], Morone americana [156–361 mm], and Morone saxatilis [82–785 mm]) in Delaware Bay and in the adjacent ocean. To assess ontogenetic, geographic, and interspecific variation in diets, observations from individual fish stomachs were clustered into species-size class groups, and dietary overlap was estimated using multivariate analyses. A shift in diet composition, as well as diversity, occurred along the estuarine gradient and into the adjacent ocean. Some prey were shared by most predators, including some crustaceans (dominated by Callinectes sapidus, mysids, and Palaemonetes spp.), fundulids (dominated by Fundulus heteroclitus), engraulids (dominated by Anchoa mitchilli), and clupeids (dominated by Brevoortia tyrannus). However, inter- and intra-specific variation in diet was observed as well. In particular, M. americana consumed fewer engraulids and clupeids, and many more and diverse types of invertebrates, while P. saltatrix consumed more clupeids and less invertebrates. The lack of overlap in diet between the four predators evaluated, and between size groups for each predator, supports previous evidence that these groups feed in trophic guilds defined by species and by size within a species. The highly variable diets for these predators suggest high resolution spatial data are necessary in order to quantify their most important prey and their role in coastal ecosystems.     

Annual cycle of radionuclide contamination on tide-washed pasture in the Mersey Estuary, NW England

The radionuclide burden of vegetation comprising a tide-washed pasture at Ince Marsh in the Mersey Estuary, U.K., derives mainly from adhered external particulates originating as suspended sediments in estuarine water. Radionuclide concentrations are dominated by the growth cycle of the vegetation, with the highest winter levels of contamination activity an order of magnitude greater than the lowest levels in mid-summer. A secondary effect due to sediment transfer during periods of severe flooding produces subsidiary features on this dominant seasonal profile. Radionuclide concentrations on vegetation are in the range¹³⁷Cs=8–191,¹³⁴Cs=0.3–0.9,²⁴¹Am=0.6–46,²³⁸Pu=0.1–1.5, and^239/240Pu=0.8–44 Bq kg⁻¹. These ranges reflect the relative concentrations of radionuclides in estuarine sediment (¹³⁷Cs=615,²⁴¹Am=202, and^239/240Pu=104 Bq kg⁻¹) rather than the values in filtered estuary water (¹³⁷Cs=0.4,²⁴¹Am=0.001, and^239/240Pu=0.001 Bq 1⁻¹). Median K_d values for these radionuclide species are Cs=1,400, Am=200,000, and Pu=80,000 1 kg⁻¹).