Intertidal sand‐dwelling Peracarid fauna of Stewart Island

Abstract

The distributions of infaunal Peracarida (Crustacea) and their correlation with sediment type, tidal height, and degree of exposure were studied in winter (June) at five beaches on Stewart Island, New Zealand. The beaches were selected lo cover a range of exposures to wind and wave action and substrate sorting. Substrate and infauna samples were taken at four tidal levels from each, with a 0.0625 m² quadrat.

Sieve separation and statistical analysis of the substrate samples indicated predominantly sand‐sized particles from all beaches, with median diameters in the range +1.52 to +2.92 ? (phi) units. Substrates were well sorted throughout the size range: ? quartile deviation ranged from 0.26 to 0.71, skewness from —0.18 to +0.07 ?.

Peracarid fauna was generally abundant, with a maximum of 29 136 per m²sampled in a more sheltered beach. Cumacea was the most abundant group, followed by Amphipoda, Isopoda, and Tanaidacea; dominance followed a similar sequence, being 78%, 19%, 2% and 1% respectively. Frequency of occurrence at the 19 stations was headed by Amphipoda (100%), with Isopoda 53%, Cumacea 32% and Tanaidacea 11%.     

Prevalence and distribution of fecal indicator organisms in South Florida beach sand and preliminary assessment of health effects associated with beach sand exposure

Fecal indicator levels in nearshore waters of South Florida are routinely monitored to assess microbial contamination at recreational beaches. However, samples of sand from the surf zone and upper beach are not monitored which is surprising since sand may accumulate and harbor fecal-derived organisms. This study examined the prevalence of fecal indicator organisms in tidally-affected beach sand and in upper beach sand and compared these counts to levels in the water. Since indicator organisms were statistically elevated in sand relative to water, the study also considered the potential health risks associated with beach use and exposure to sand. Fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, somatic coliphages, and F(+)-specific coliphages were enumerated from sand and water at three South Florida beaches (Ft. Lauderdale Beach, Hollywood Beach, and Hobie Beach) over a 2-year period. Bacteria were consistently more concentrated in 100g samples of beach sand (2-23 fold in wet sand and 30-460 fold in dry sand) compared to 100ml samples of water. Somatic coliphages were commonly recovered from both sand and water while F(+)-specific coliphages were less commonly detected. Seeding experiments revealed that a single specimen of gull feces significantly influenced enterococci levels in some 3.1m(2) of beach sand. Examination of beach sand on a micro-spatial scale demonstrated that the variation in enterococci density over short distances was considerable. Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the physical and chemical parameters monitored in this study could only minimally account for the variation observed in indicator densities. A pilot epidemiological study was conducted to examine whether the length of exposure to beach water and sand could be correlated with health risk. Logistic regression analysis results provided preliminary evidence that time spent in the wet sand and time spent in the water were associated with a dose-dependent increase in gastrointestinal illness.     

Expression of heat shock protein 70 in a permanent cell line (EPC) exposed to sediment extracts from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Heat shock proteins 70 (hsp70) are known to be induced by a great variety of chemical stressors. The effects of different environmental contaminants, which were identified in sediments of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as main contaminants or as contaminants of special toxicological interest, on the extent of expression of hsp70 in a permanent cell line Epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) were investigated. Concentrations of the single contaminants leading to elevated hsp70 levels were compared to the respective concentrations of these contaminants encountered in the sediment extracts thus allowing an assessment of their contribution to the toxicity of these sediments. Analysis of hsp70 was performed using western blotting techniques with subsequent comparative quantification by densitometry. Eleven of thirteen contaminants have shown a dose-dependent increase in hsp70 levels. An expression of hsp70 was observed in most cases between 0.1 and 10 microg/mL test solution. Some of the investigated stressors led to extremely high hsp70 contents even at low concentrations. However, in most cases contaminant concentrations in sediments were too low to cause an effect. For this reason, effects of the tested sediments are attributed to other contaminants or rather to mixtures of stressors.     

Holocene beach deposits for assessing coastal uplift of the northeastern Boso Peninsula, Pacific coast of Japan

This paper presents a case study that assessed spatial variations in the tectonic uplift rates of beach deposits in the relict Kujukuri strand plain, situated on the northeastern coast of the Boso Peninsula, eastern Japan. The southern Boso Peninsula is tilted downward to the northeast due to plate subduction along the Sagami Trough. However, the cause of the northeastern coast uplift creating the relict strand plain is unclear, due to the absence of a Holocene raised marine terrace sequence. Elevations and ages of beach deposits were collected from drilled cores and ground-penetrating radar profiles along three shore-normal sections in the southern Kujukuri strand plain. From this, alongshore variations in the relative sea level since the mid-Holocene could be seen. These corresponded to north-to-northeast downward tilting at a rate of 0.4 m/ka for an interval 10 km and are concordant with the longer term tilting of the last interglacial marine terrace surrounding the plain. Although it is difficult to assess shore-normal variations of uplift based on the present dataset, the recognized tilting apparently continues to the tilting of the southern Boso Peninsula, implying the Sagami Trough probably affects the uplift of the Kujukuri coast.     

Eustatic and tectonic controls on Quaternary Ras Leona marine terraces (Strait of Gibraltar, northern Morocco)

Well-preserved Quaternary staircased marine terraces appear on Ras Leona limestone relief. This is a peculiar sector of the Betic-Rif Cordillera, lying in the four-way junction between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and Europe and Africa. The age and altitude correlation of the Ras Leona terraces with travertine-covered lateral equivalent terraces fashioned in the neighbouring Beni Younech area, and comparison with those along the Moroccan Atlantic coasts, would suggest that the Ras Leona terraces were mainly formed by eustatic factors. The importance of the eustasy is supported by further comparisons with Spanish and Moroccan Mediterranean terraces and with different marine terraces developed on passive-margin coasts around the world. A tectonic event occurred mainly during the period between the formation of the Maarifian and the Ouljian terraces (i.e., between 370 and 150 ka). The moderate Quaternary tectonic uplift deduced from the marine terraces and its comparison with uplifted marine terraces developed in active subduction setting disagrees with the model of an active eastwards subduction below the Gibraltar tectonic arc.     

海洋科技创新与海洋经济发展的协调关系及其影响机理研究

为深入揭示海洋科技创新与海洋经济发展的协调关系及其影响机理,促进我国海洋科技和海洋经济的高质量和可持续发展,文章构建海洋科技创新和海洋经济发展2个系统的评价指标体系,以辽宁为实例,利用协调度模型分析二者的协调度及其演化趋势,进一步利用结构方程模型构建海洋科技创新影响海洋经济发展的驱动路径,以此分析其影响因素和影响效应,并提出对策建议。研究结果表明:1997-2016年辽宁海洋科技创新与海洋经济发展的协调关系分为中度失调衰退、严重失调衰退、中度协调发展和良好协调发展4个主要阶段;海洋科技创新通过海洋资源水平、海洋经济规模和海洋经济结构对海洋经济发展产生直接效应,同时通过海洋经济规模对地区经济发展产生间接效应,即海洋科技创新对海洋经济发展和地区经济发展均产生显著的促进作用;未来应统筹海洋科技与海洋经济的协调发展,扩大海洋科技的投入和产出,积极培育海洋科研人才和新兴海洋产业,注重提高对外开放程度和发展港口经济。     

海洋牧场背景下的休闲渔业旅游发展模式研究

近年来随着产业融合的发展趋势显著,第一产业和第二产业开始向第三产业转型,海洋牧场建设发展过程中渔业与旅游业逐渐融合发展形成休闲渔业等渔业旅游形式。许多地区因地制宜形成了不同的休闲渔业发展模式,休闲渔业旅游发展多元化的趋势也在逐渐形成。文章对休闲渔业的概念进行了阐述,介绍了休闲渔业的产生与发展,并对我国休闲渔业的旅游模式进行归纳,提出当前休闲渔业发展存在的问题。如:发展观念滞后,缺乏长远规划;海洋休闲渔业产业结构单一;缺乏高素质的从业人员;科技、资金投入不足等。最后总结了海洋牧场背景下休闲渔业的未来发展趋势并对发展方向提出建议。     

基于CiteSpace的国内外海洋空间规划研究发展态势分析

海洋空间规划是一个对海洋资源可持续开发利用的规划和管理过程。文章采用可视化工具CiteSpace,基于WOS核心合集和CNKI数据库,系统梳理分析2000—2020年海洋空间规划领域的国内外研究主题及其突现词演变路径。结果表明:当前国内外海洋空间规划相关研究数量总体呈上升趋势,美国、澳大利亚和英国3国占比超过50%,各机构间合作度较高、跨国交流活跃;国际方面,栖息地、海洋保护区域、渔业发展、生物多样性是热点研究方向,国内则更加关注陆海统筹和可持续发展;近20年来,国际研究趋势变化为"空间规划体系的构建-空间规划尺度的拓展及跨界研究-经验总结与环境保护",国内规划时期则从"空间规划政策综合管理-具体功能区划分-可持续发展"不断发展;在此基础上提出未来深入探索的重点领域以及建议。     

基于生态文明思想的围填海历史遗留问题处理理论与实践——以大连港太平湾港区和中新天津生态城为例

长期大规模围填海活动在振兴沿海地区经济的同时,也严重破坏了海岸带生态系统。文章梳理了关于加强滨海湿地保护、严格管控围填海的一系列政策要求与技术指南;以大连港太平湾港区和中新天津生态城为例,分别分析了港口工业区和滨海生态旅游区的围填海历史遗留问题处理与生态保护修复实践,并提出了生态优先,绿色发展;自然恢复为主,人工修复为辅;陆海统筹,生态融合;问题导向,科学修复;科技支撑,示范带动等新发展阶段下海洋生态保护修复的建议。     

海洋牧场建设对生态旅游的影响研究——以三亚蜈支洲岛旅游区为例

建设海洋牧场能修复海洋生态环境、恢复海洋渔业资源,更好地促进海洋渔业的可持续发展。我国于20世纪70年代开始了海洋牧场的建设,并已经取得很大成绩,国内众多学者对海洋牧场的研究也取得了较多的成果。三亚蜈支洲岛海洋牧场是热带海岛休闲旅游型海洋牧场,通过对三亚蜈支洲岛海洋牧场的研究发现,海洋牧场的建设给旅游区带来了显著的生态效益、经济效益、社会效益,海洋牧场建设对生态旅游的开展具有明显的促进作用。