Semidiurnal Dynamics of Salinity, Nutrients and Suspended Particulate Matter in an Estuary in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, during a Spring Tide Cycle

The physical and chemical variability of the water column at subtidal station of an estuary in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, was studied over a 24-hour period during a spring tide (tidal range ca. 2 m) in May 1995. Surface water and several depths through the water column were monitored every one and two hours, respectively. At each occasion, water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen concentration were measured and water samples were collected for the determination of nutrients and suspended particulate matter (SPM). Disruptive changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the water was produced by the tidal cycle and the mixing of water masses of different origin. These changes were highly significant both spatially and temporally, yet with varying effects on physical parameters, nutrients and the different components of SPM. Significant differences in nutrient concentrations were also observed when the data-set was divided into ebb and flood components, irrespective of the depth. Nitrate and nitrite rose to 1.8 times higher during the flood. Spatial differences of SPM were less marked than those of nutrients, only particulate organic carbon (POC) being significantly higher at the surface than in the intermediate and the lower layer. Both POC and pheopigment concentrations increased markedly through the water column, being highest shortly before the lower low tide. In contrast, suspended solid (SS) content increased sharply after the lower low tide (>40 mg l⁻¹) and this coincided with a marked decrease of the C/SS content (<20 mg g⁻¹). The lagtime between POC and SS tidal transport was caused by particle resuspension from the exposed intertidal sediments as the tidal level rose, and particle transport selection in relation to the tidal state. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

内陆河流域山区水文与生态研究

以河西走廊黑河干流山区流域为例,从山区水文循环、水文与生态系统以及径流形成和预测等方面讨论山区流域水文和生态相互作用研究的有关问题。山区降水的空间和时间分布规律和固态、液态降水组成变化主要受制于海拔和地形的影响,而不同海拔和地形条件下的下垫面不同土地覆被和复杂的空间异质性则主要影响蒸散发量。对内陆河山区流域的水文小循环的研究,有助于进一步研究和认识内陆河流域上、中、下游水文和生态系统的相互联系问题。至今,对山区水文过程与生态系统的相互作用问题的研究还非常薄弱,需要研究山区森林草地生态系统在山区水文循环中的作用以及在维持和保护山区生态和环境中的作用和意义。内陆河流域山区水文过程复杂而综合性强,须加强对山区径流形成机理的多学科交叉研究,不断改善出山径流对气候变化和人类活动响应过程的模拟和预测水平。     

Neuzeitlicher Schadstofftrend: Polycylische aromatische Kohlenwasserstoffe (PAK) in aquatischen und terrestrischen Sedimenten

A Recent Contamination Trend: Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Aquatic and Terrestrial Sediments Concentrations of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) measured in aquatic sediments of small, medium‐sized or very large inland lakes, of estuaries as well as in terrestrial sediments from Germany, the UK, Finland, and the USA were plotted in 10 trend curves over the period from 1800 to 1990. The segments of the bore cores were dated for their deposition age. For comparability of the results, the trend is preferentially shown by the guide parameter fluoranthene. Until the 19th century, a constant background value of C_Fluo = 10…50 μg/kg was observed in all regions. Then a steep increase in concentration followed, reaching in the aquatic sediments a maximum in the period 1940 to 1965, while the individual fluoranthene values ranged widely from 90 to 2400 μg/kg. In several regions, a more or less distinct decrease superseded this maximum, although this development did not appear in terrestrial sediments, in one estuary, and in remote forest lakes in Finland. The trend curves reflect the atmospheric deposition of PAHs in airborne dust and in some cases the import through runoff via rivers. Thus, the sediment profiles depict the development of air pollution by pyrogenic contaminants over more than a century. Sediment profiles from rivers can be used only with a high degree of reservation, because of the irregularity and low representativity of the sedimentation.     

WATER QUALITY STUDIES IN MALAYSIAN DISUSED MAN MADE LAKFS FOR SUITABILITY OF AN AQUACULTURE PROJECT

A study has been conducted on the status of water quality in two disused man made lakes, which have potential for cage aquaculture project. This study highlights the quality of water analyzed with reference to various physical - chemical parameters in two selected lakes and their suitability for fish farming. A number of parameters were measured including the amount of NH3 - N, NO3 - N, NO2 - N and total phosphorus while in - situ measurement including DO, pH, temperature, conductivity, TDS and Secchi disk visibility. Beside the physical -chemical of water, the location, morphometry and climate conditions were also investigated. The chemical data analyzed for six months indicated that Lake A and Lake B are characterized by relatively high DO, slightly neutral pH and low TSS. The concentration of NH3 -N and NO2 -N was very low （0. 058 mg/L and 0. 04 mg/L, respectively） and total phosphorus was usually in low concentration and sometimes would seem negligible. Besides, NO3 - N occurred in slightly higher concentration （1.75 mg/L）. Results obtained indicated that the study site has high potentiality for development of inland fisheries practices.     

Re-parameterization of a quasi-analytical algorithm for colored dissolved organic matter dominant inland waters

Quasi-Analytical Algorithms (QAAs) are based on radiative transfer equations and have been used to derive inherent optical properties (IOPs) from the above surface remote sensing reflectance (R_rs) in aquatic systems in which phytoplankton is the dominant optically active constituents (OACs). However, Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and Non Algal Particles (NAP) can also be dominant OACs in water bodies and till now a QAA has not been parametrized for these aquatic systems. In this study, we compared the performance of three widely used QAAs in two CDOM dominated aquatic systems which were unsuccessful in retrieving the spectral shape of IOPS and produced minimum errors of 350% for the total absorption coefficient (a), 39% for colored dissolved matter absorption coefficient (a_CDM) and 7566.33% for phytoplankton absorption coefficient (a_phy). We re-parameterized a QAA for CDOM dominated (hereafter QAA_CDOM) waters which was able to not only achieve the spectral shape of the OACs absorption coefficients but also brought the error magnitude to a reasonable level. The average errors found for the 400–750 nm range were 30.71 and 14.51 for a, 14.89 and 8.95 for a_CDM and 25.90 and 29.76 for a_phy in Funil and Itumbiara Reservoirs, Brazil respectively. Although QAA_CDOM showed significant promise for retrieving IOPs in CDOM dominated waters, results indicated further tuning is needed in the estimation of a(λ) and a_phy(λ). Successful retrieval of the absorption coefficients by QAA_CDOM would be very useful in monitoring the spatio-temporal variability of IOPS in CDOM dominated waters.     

Interactions between whale sharks,Rhincodon typus Smith, 1928 (Orectolobiformes,Rhincodontidae), and Brazilian fisheries: The need for effective conservation measures

This study reports three interaction events between the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) and fisheries in Brazilian waters. Two events were described as incidental captures in a gillnet fishery on the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro State, in southeastern Brazil. The last event took place at the Royal Charlotte Oceanic Bank (RCOB), in the southern region of Bahia State, where five fishermen filmed their interaction with a juvenile specimen. For one of the incidental captures, the fish was landed and consumed by locals, and for the other, the shark was released. In the RCOB, the fishermen touched the whale shark with their hands, wooden sticks and even rode on it. In addition, 74 interviews were conducted with fishermen from Bahia about sightings and possible interactions with R. typus. According to statements made by the fishermen, although not frequent, the conduct reported for the RCOB occasionally takes place in the region. Evaluating information of this nature is important to support government plans that regulate fishing activities in order to reduce incidental captures and the harassment of whale sharks. Encouraging the participation of fishermen in a collaborative monitoring program for R. typus may be a good way to better understand the threats to the species at a reduced cost, particularly for developing countries, such as Brazil.     

Global fisheries subsidies: An updated estimate

The aim of this paper is to provide an updated estimate of global fisheries subsidies. It builds on earlier estimates and methodologies to re-estimate and discuss the various types of subsidies provided by governments around the world. The results suggests that total subsidies were about USD 35 billion in 2009 dollars, which is close to the earlier estimate of 2003 subsidies once they are adjusted for inflation. Capacity-enhancing subsidies constituted the highest category at over USD 20 billion. For all regions, the amount of capacity-enhancing subsidies is higher than other categories, except for North America, which has higher beneficial subsidies. The analysis reveals that fuel subsidies constitute the greatest part of the total subsidy (22% of the total), followed by subsidies for management (20% of the total) and ports and harbors (10% of the total). Subsidies provided by developed countries are far greater (65% of the total) than those by developing countries (35% of the total) even though the latter lands well above 50% of total global catch. Asia is by far the greatest subsidizing region (43% of total), followed by Europe (25% of total) and North America (16% of total). Japan provides the highest amount of subsidies (19.7% of total), followed by the United States and China at 19.6% of total.     

Fishers’ knowledge indicates short-term temporal changes in the amount and composition of catches in the southwestern Atlantic

The scarcity of data on fish catches difficult management of small-scale fisheries in developing countries. This study applies fishers’ knowledge to investigate temporal changes in the amount (biomass) and composition (major ecological categories) of fishing resources exploited by small-scale coastal fisheries in the southeastern Brazilian coast. Four hypotheses were investigated: (1) The amount of fish caught reported by fishers would decrease over time. (2) Older fishers would report higher fish catches than younger fishers. (3) Recent interviews would mention large-sized predators less often. (4) Recent interviews would mention less high valued fishing resources. Interviews with 421 fishers in 36 communities in the southeastern Brazilian coast were analyzed, covering a time span of 14 years, from 1995 to 2009. The hypothesis 1 was confirmed, 3 was partially confirmed, while 2 and 4 were not confirmed. Fishers’ age was unrelated to all variables. The results from fishers’ interviews indicated the temporal trends of: (1) a decrease in the biomass of fish caught; (2) an increase in the occurrence of smaller fish and invertebrates in the catch; (3) an increase of high value fishing resources; and (4) maintenance of large predators. The first two indicators suggest excessive fishing, but the later indicators (3 and 4) suggest that the socioecological system of the southeastern Brazilian coast had not yet undergone major ecological shifts.     

Conservation,contraception and controversy: Supporting human rights to enable sustainable fisheries in Madagascar

Environmental NGOs are increasingly called upon to respect human rights when undertaking conservation programs. Evaluating a family planning program running alongside marine management measures in Madagascar, we find that family planning services provided by an environmental NGO can support women’s reproductive rights. Family planning services allow the option of smaller families, and give more time to work, increased income and better health. These benefits do not translate into increased support for, or participation in, marine management, however, and women who are able to work more are typically fishing more. We identify patriarchal norms as a key factor preventing the family planning programme from manifesting in improved resource stewardship, limiting opportunities for women to participate fully in resource management meetings and diversify their livelihood outside traditional tasks, including fishing. We propose that a successful human rights-based approach must be more comprehensive, targeting multiple rights and challenging existing institutions and power structures.     

基于线粒体控制区序列的花斑蛇鲻遗传多态性分析

花斑蛇鲻(Saurida undosquamis)是一种重要的底层经济鱼类, 本研究利用线粒体控制区(D-loop区)序列分析了中国近海分布的花斑蛇鲻的遗传结构和遗传多样性, 一共测定了6个地理群体129尾样本的D-loop区全序列。结果显示, 全长为921bp的序列包含71个多态性位点, 共检测到101个单倍型。花斑蛇鲻总体呈现很高的单倍型多样性(0.9873 ± 0.0048)和较低的核苷酸多样性(0.0132 ± 0.0067)的特征。基于邻接法构建的单倍型系统发育树的拓扑结构很浅, 没有形成分化明显的支系。单倍型在各个地理群体中的分布呈分散交叉状态, 表明地理群体间没有显著的遗传分化。6个群体的分子方差分析显示, 花斑蛇鲻绝大部分的遗传变异(99.87%)来源于群体内的个体之间, 而群体间的变异仅占0.13%。大部分地理群体之间的遗传分化指数(F_ST)均很小, 揭示了群体间的基因交流很频繁, 存在高度的遗传同质性。这些研究结果表明中国近海的花斑蛇鲻遗传多样性丰富, 没有明显的遗传分化, 是一个随机交配群, 可以作为同一个渔业单元来管理。