New Zealand estuary benthic health indicators summarised nationally and by estuary type

ABSTRACT

Ecological data are often collected at small geographic scales. However, analysing data collectively over wider scales can reveal results and patterns not shown in the smaller-scale data. We summarised data for intertidal benthic ecological (physico-chemical and biological) health indicators from New Zealand estuaries and compared the results against thresholds above which ecological impacts are expected to occur. Values for the sediment physico-chemical indicators mud and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus collectively) were above thresholds for at least 50% and at 31% of sites measured respectively. Sediment organic content and metal concentrations were generally low, with only maximum values exceeding the thresholds. Scores for biological indicators were within (or better than) the moderate health category for either at least 50%, or at least 75%, of sites. When compared across estuary types (based on a geomorphic classification system) we found statistically significant differences for thirteen of the sixteen indicators. Differences (among mean values) for highly significant results were relatively large compared to the range of values observed nationally for those indicators. However, the differences, except those for mud, were smaller than their respective ecological health threshold values. Our summary provides a reference for future comparisons of estuary indicators nationally and across estuary types.     

Size-fractionated uranium isotopes in surface waters in the Jiulong Estuary in China

Surface water was collected from the Jiulong Estuary for determination of activity concentrations of uranium isotopes in different size fractions, namely, greater than 53, 10 -53, 2 - 10, 0.4 -2 μm, 10 000 u -0.4 μm and less than 10 000 u fractions by microfihration and cross-flow uhrafiltration technologies. Results indicated that most of the dissolved uranium （ 〈 0.4 μm） exis- ted in the low molecular mass fraction （ 〈 10 000 u）, and the colloidal uranium-238 （10 000 u -0.4 μm） only contributed less than 1% of the dissolved uranium-238. The fractions of colloidal uranium in the dissolved phases decreased with the increasing sa- linity. A positive linear relationship between uranium-238 activities and salinities was observed for the dissolved, colloidal and low molecular mass fractions, indicating a conservative behavior of uranium in the Jiulong Estuary. In the particulate phases （ 〉 0.4 μm）, the partitioning of uranium isotopes among different size fractions was controlled by the partitioning of particle concentrations. In the regions with salinities below 20, the partitioning of uranium-238 among different size fractions was as follows： 10 - 53 μm 〉 2 - 10 μm 〉 0.4 - 2 μm greater than above 53 μm. However, the order at the offshore station with salinities above 30 changed as follows ： 0.4 - 2 μm 〉 10 - 53 μm 〉 2 - 10 μm greater than above 53 μm. The fraction of the 0.4 - 2 μm particles increased at the offshore station, suggesting the increased contribution of the authigenic uranium. The activity ratio of uranium-234 to uranium-238 in the dissolved phases, including the low molecular mass fraction and the colloidal fraction, was larger than unity, showing the occurrence of excess uranium-234. In contrast, the activity ratio of uranium-234 to uranium-238 in all size fractions of the particulate phase was close to the equilibrium value （1.0）. The observed different values of the activity ratio of uranium-234 to uranium-238 in the dissolved phase and the partic     

基于遥感技术对黄河口水色与岸线季相变化特征研究

使用Landsat-5 TM 2004年11月24日与2005年5月13日黄河口遥感影像,配合准同期外业实测资料,进行黄河口水体水色物质叶绿素a与悬浮泥沙的动态反演与河口岸线解译.研究表明由于秋末与春初黄河上游来水物质含量的差异,上述悬浮指标值存在显著的季相差异.根据样值与光谱特征建立的反演模型得出的反演值与实测值有平均在0.85以上的相关关系,具有很好的反演效果.岸线解译成果表明,黄河口岸线演变迅速,在河流平枯水量时期仍然具有较强的变化,岸线推进尤以新河口附近显著.这表明,使用遥感手段是进行河口生态环境质量监测的有效手段,是进行岸线动态变化研究的一种基本技术支撑手段.     

典型河口浮游动物种类数及生物量变化趋势的研究

依据国家海洋局2004-2006年每年5月和8月的黄河口、长江口和珠江口生态监控区浮游动物的监测结果,对上述河口浮游动物和桡足类种类数及浮游动物生物量分布进行了分析,并将结果与历史资料进行同测区、同季节的对比。结果表明,与全国海洋普查时期相比,2006年黄河口浮游动物种类数下降了50．6％,桡足类种类数下降了53.3％;桡足类在浮游动物中所占比重由1985年的42.4％下降到2006年的32．6％。长江口浮游动物种类数有所上升,但是桡足类种类数由1985年的62种降低到2006年的37种;桡足类在浮游动物中的比重从1958年的54．2％降低到2006年的42．5％。珠江口桡足类在浮游动物中所占的比例由1959年的59．3％下降到54．4％,未发生明显变化。黄河口春季、夏季浮游动物生物量上升趋势不明显,夏季增幅较小;长江口自2000年以后春季浮游动物平均生物量为528．36mg／m^3,是1958年的2．4倍,2005年与2006年夏季浮游动物生物量分别是1958年的2．2和2．7倍,增加趋势十分明显;珠江口春季浮游动物生物量上升趋势最为显著,2004-2006年3年春季浮游动物平均生物量是1959年同期的5．7—8．7倍,1981年、2006年夏季生物量分别比1959年增加了3．1倍和11倍。就这3个河口生物量变化趋势看,珠江口生物量的上升趋势最为明显,长江口次之,黄河口变化幅度较小。     

Wind impact on pollutant transport in a shallow estuary

A three-dimensional numerical model, EFDC （ environmental fluid dynamics code） is applied to the Pamlico River Estuary （PRE） in eastern North Carolina of the United States to examine the wind impact on pollutant age distributions and residence time. A series of model experiments representing base case, remote-wind-induced water level set-up and local winds cases are conducted. Model results indicate that the pollutant mean age and the system residence time are functions of gravitational circulation in the PRE. The system responses to remote-wind-induced water level set-up are different in different portions of the PRE. Under such condition, dissolved substances in the upstream portion of the PRE have a younger age and shorter residence time （compared with the base case） , by contrast, they have a older age and longer residence time in the downstream portion of the PRE. Upriver and downriver local winds appear to have opposite impacts on pollutant age distributions. The substances are retained much longer within the PRE under upriver wind than those under downriver wind. The model results also suggest that across - river winds may lead to longer residence time through enhanced turbulence mixing, which slows down the gravitational circulation in the PRE.     

扬子浅滩东南海域海底潮流沙脊、沙波特征

利用seabat8101多波束系统对扬子浅滩东南海底地形进行了高精度探测。发现海底呈明显近乎平行排列的条带状起伏,脊谷相间,沙脊大部分呈NW-SE向排列,发育在45~50 m水深范围之内,沙脊横剖面不对称,大部分沙脊西南侧坡度大、东北坡缓。沙脊规模略有差异,沙脊宽度约0.6~9.8 km,沙脊之间间距可达8.9~22.4 km,高度约1.8~13.3 m,研究区内最长可达53 km。部分脊槽过渡区域发育成片链状海底沙波,沙波大致呈NE-SW走向,波高约0.3~1 m,波长1 km左右。研究区中西部有海底礁石孤立地突兀于相对平坦的海底之上,暂定名为扬礁,最浅水深35.9 m,位于30°59'7.4'~31°N,124°36'48.7'~124°37'40'E。扬子浅滩东南海域沙脊是介于活动沙脊和衰亡沙脊之间的准活动沙脊。该研究将为我国海洋开发和海洋经济发展、海洋行政管理以及海洋安全保障提供服务。     

基于水淘选分级的长江口及邻近海域表层沉积物中磷的形态分布和迁移转化

磷是一种重要的生源要素,在河口、边缘海的初级生产中发挥重要作用,了解沉积物中磷的形态分布和迁移转化有助于深入了解该区域生态系统动力学。于2013年3月在长江口及邻近海域采集了表层沉积物样品,利用水淘选方法对沉积物进行了分级,并采用化学连续提取法分析了未分级和分级沉积物样品中的6种磷形态含量:可交换态磷、活性有机磷、铁结合态磷、自生磷灰石磷、碎屑磷和难分解有机磷,讨论了该区域沉积物中磷的形态分布、选择性输运过程和迁移转化。沉积物中总磷含量在14.0~18.4 μmol/g,其中碎屑磷是其主要成分,占54.5%,其次是有机磷和难分解有机磷,分别占到15.1%和13.1%。不同粒级沉积物中磷形态含量不同,可交换态磷、活性有机磷、铁结合态磷、自生磷灰石磷和难分解有机磷随粒级增加含量逐渐降低,而碎屑磷主要集中在粗粒级（大于32 μm）沉积物中。基于各粒级磷形态的质量分布,发现小于32 μm粒级的沉积物中各磷形态含量从长江口向浙闽沿岸逐渐增加,向外海方向逐渐减小,而大于32 μm沉积物的变化趋势与此相反,体现了不同形态磷的选择性输运。随粒径增大,总有机碳对有机磷比值（TOC/Or-P）先降低后升高,在大粒级沉积物中,TOC/Or-P比值较高主要是因为陆源有机碳贡献较高,而在小粒级沉积物中,主要是由于有机磷的迁移和转化更为活跃,体现了细颗粒物中有机磷相对有机碳的优先分解。本研究表明,从分级的角度可以对河口、边缘海的磷循环有一个更全面的认识。     

知识不确定条件下的海外保障基地自然风险情景模拟评估

针对海外保障基地面临的自然风险,在风险辨识基础上,构建了风险评价指标体系和海外保障基地自然风险的贝叶斯网络评估模型,并进行了情景模拟下的量化实验评估。针对目前贝叶斯网络评估过程中的群决策和决策偏好问题,引入了犹豫层次分析思想来优化计算指标风险隶属度,改进了评估过程中的客观性和适用性。     

南黄海盆地海相储层成岩作用与储层发育特征

南黄海盆地与下扬子陆域具有较为一致的沉积构造演化史,全区具有良好的油气成藏条件,油气资源潜力大,特别是中—古生界海相地层有可能是下一步油气勘探的突破新区。以南黄海盆地为主体的下扬子地区海相储层类型包括砂岩储层、碳酸盐岩储层和泥页岩储层三大类。基于岩性特征、成岩作用、储集空间和物性条件等分析,认为砂岩储层有利的储集体主要为裂缝—次生孔隙型,碳酸盐岩储层中未被胶结物充填或者部分充填的孔、缝、洞可作为有利储集体,泥页岩储层中的有利储集空间为高有机质丰度层段中的无机孔隙、有机孔隙和裂缝较发育带。     

下扬子烃源岩新层位——中下奥陶统

中下奥陶统通常主要作为储层看待,然而皖南地区的下奥陶统宁国组主要为一套富含笔石的灰黑色—黑色薄层硅质、碳质泥岩,属广海陆棚相至深海盆地相沉积;而中奥陶统胡乐组主要为一套同样富含笔石的深灰色薄层粉砂质泥岩和中厚层硅质泥岩,属深海陆棚相至盆地相沉积。二者分布范围相当,但宁国组厚度明显大于胡乐组。下奥陶统宁国组6个样品的岩石热解数据显示,恢复后的TOC均值为1.24%。根据上升流的识别标准,宁国组和胡乐组的岩性和岩相特征以及宁国组地球化学测试结果,推测皖南地区中下奥陶统可能是一套受上升流影响的中—好烃源岩。鉴于南黄海是下扬子的主体,建议加强南黄海中下奥陶统烃源岩的研究。