Seasonal and sub-seasonal oxygen and nutrient fluctuations in an embayment of an eastern boundary upwelling system: St Helena Bay

Seasonal, sub-seasonal and spatial fluctuations in bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) were examined in St Helena Bay, South Africa’s largest and most productive embayment, between November 2013 and November 2014. Alongshore bay characteristics were assessed through comparison of variables along the 50-m depth contour. A mean coefficient of variation of 0.35 provided a measure of the relative variability of near-bottom DO concentrations along this contour. Consistently lower DO concentrations in the southern region of the bay in summer and autumn are attributed to enhanced retention. Across-shelf transects captured the seasonal development of hypoxia in relation to the distribution of phytoplankton biomass. Exceptional dinoflagellate blooms form extensive subsurface thin layers preceding the autumn DO minima in the south of the bay, prior to winter ventilation of the bottom waters. The seasonal decline in DO concentrations in the bottom waters was marked by sub-seasonal events of hypoxia, and ultimately anoxia linked to episodic deposition of organic matter, as indicated by increases in bottom chlorophyll-a concentrations. Seasonal changes in bottom water macronutrient concentrations followed trends in apparent oxygen utilisation (AOU), both of which mirrored DO concentrations. In the south of the bay, nitrogen loss through denitrification/anammox in suboxic waters was indicated by a dissolved inorganic N deficit in the bottom waters, which was most pronounced in autumn.     

Nitrate dynamics in a rural headwater catchment: measurements and modelling

This study was designed to improve our understanding of, and mechanistically simulate, nitrate (NO₃) dynamics in a steep 9.8 ha rural headwater catchment, including its production in soil and delivery to a stream via surface and subsurface processes. A two‐dimensional modelling approach was evaluated for (1) integrating these processes at a hillslope scale annually and within storms, (2) estimating denitrification, and (3) running virtual experiments to generate insights and hypotheses about using trees in streamside management zones (SMZs) to mitigate NO₃ delivery to streams. Total flow was mathematically separated into quick‐ and slow‐flow components; the latter was routed through the HYDRUS software with a nitrogen module designed for constructed wetlands. Flow was monitored for two years. High surface‐soil NO₃ concentrations started to be delivered to the stream via preferential subsurface flow within two days of the storm commencing. Groundwater NO₃‐N concentrations decreased from 1.0 to less than 0.1 mg l^?1 from up‐slope to down‐slope water tables, respectively, which was attributed to denitrification. Measurements were consistent with the flushing of NO₃ mainly laterally from surface soil during and following each storm. The model accurately accounted for NO₃ turnover, leading to the hypotheses that denitrification was a minor flux (<3 kg N ha^?1) compared to uptake (98^?127 kg N ha^?1), and that SMZ trees would reduce denitrification if they lowered the water table. This research provides an example of the measurement and modelling of NO₃ dynamics at a small‐catchment scale with high spatial and temporal resolution. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

总氮对土物理力学性能影响的试验研究

通过室内试验,考察了去离子水及不同浓度总氮溶液对土体物理力学性能的影响,并通过土体矿物成分含量及微观形貌分析,对总氮溶液与土体作用机制进行了初步探讨。结果表明,总氮对土体物理力学性能影响明显：（1）土体塑性指数、相对密度和有效黏聚力随总氮溶液浓度增大而减小,有效内摩擦角随溶液浓度的增大而增大;（2）各浸泡条件下,土体应力-应变关系曲线变化规律基本一致,均呈应变硬化现象,土体剪切峰值随总氮溶液浓度的增大先减小后增大;（3）孔隙水压力随轴向应变的增加先增加,然后缓慢降低,最后曲线逐渐趋于水平,表现出较大的剪胀性;（4）总氮溶液与土体间相互作用主要包括离子交换作用、微生物分解作用和溶蚀及胶结作用,这些作用通过改变土体的矿物成分含量,使其微观形貌及孔隙特征发生明显变化,最终导致土体的宏观力学特性改变。     

哈尔滨-绥化地区土壤氮储量及其时空变化特征

依据多目标区域地球化学调查成果,按照中国地质调查局下发的《全国土壤碳储量及各类元素（氧化物）储量实测计算暂行要求》,以表层土壤样品分析单元（4 km²）为计算单位,对哈尔滨-绥化地区表层土壤（0~20 cm）氮储量进行计算.研究了不同生态系统和不同土壤类型土壤氮储量、氮密度的差异,研究了20年来土壤氮储量的变化特征及成因.结果表明研究区土壤氮储量略微增加,这主要是由于湿地生态系统和森林生态系统对土壤的固氮效果显著造成的.     

Developmental energetics of the southern pigfish (Teleostei: Congiopodidae)

The embryonic wet weight, dry weight, yolk volume, energy content, and oxygen consumption of the southern pigfish Congiopodus leucopaecilus (Richardson, 1846) were followed from fertilisation to yolk sac absorption, at 11.5°c and salinity of 34.5%6. Measurements of yolk energy and catabolic energy changes did not show any evidence of an energy deficit before the onset of feeding capability.     

Breeding in the freshwater crayfish paranephrops planifrons white

The breeding cycle of female Paranephrops planifrons is described. The incubation of eggs and young takes place between April and December and covers about 25–26 weeks. The winter population contains some apparently adult females which do not breed. The number of eggs laid increases with the size of the parent, and in the population studied varied from some 20 to 30 eggs at 17 mm carapace length to 150 eggs at 30 mm carapace length. After hatching the young pass through two moults while still attached to the parent.     

海水中溶解态铵盐氮同位素分析的预处理方法

以蒸馏法为基础, 研究了适合海水中铵盐稳定氮同位素分析的预处理方法。对蒸馏法预处理过程中的最佳蒸馏时间、沸石的选取、铵盐最适浓度范围等分别进行改进和优化, 获得稳定、高效的海水中铵盐氮稳定同位素分析预处理方法。结果表明: 最佳蒸馏时间为50 min, 铵盐的回收率为(97±5.8)%。测定了不同沸石对不同浓度氨氮的吸附率, 筛选出酸性条件下铵氮吸附效率较高且稳定的康华科技沸石; 确定铵盐的最佳适用浓度范围为2～10 μmol/L, 在该浓度范围内氮回收率94%～99%,氮分馏系数为0.1‰～0.8‰。将此方法应用于长江口海域水样分析, 结果表明, 这一方法可以应用于河口中铵盐的氮同位素分析, 能够为河口中溶解态氮的来源及循环机理等研究提供有效信息。     

Nitrogen utilisation by size‐fractionated phytoplankton assemblages associated with an upwelling event off Westland,New Zealand

Abstract

Uptake rates of ammonium (NH₄ ⁺ ), nitrate (NO₃ ^? ), and urea by three subgroups of phytoplankton (< 200, < 20, < 2 μm) off Westland, were measured using ¹⁵ N tracer techniques in midwinter 1988, after a recent upwelling. For all size fractions at surface irradiance (I₁₀₀), nitrogen (N) was taken up primarily as NO₃ ^?. This accounted for 67–85% of total N uptake (SρN), whereas at 40 and 7% of surface irradiance, the regenerated N (NH₄ ⁺ ) and urea) made up 31–72% of SρN. Depth profile experiments for all three size components showed that uptake of NO₃ ^? was most light‐sensitive, followed by that of NH₄ ⁺ and urea. The irradiance and nutrient availability plot indicated that light was substantially more important than the nutrient concentrations in controlling the assimilation of N by microplankton (20–200 μm). Nano‐ (2–20 μm) and picoplankton (< 2 μm) however, were not as sensitive to either light or nutrient concentrations. High winds and the resulting deep mixing, combined with offshore and alongshore advection in the midwinter, were suggested to be the major cause of the low biomass and N productivity.     

Water quality in a polluted lowland stream with chronically depressed dissolved oxygen: Causes and effects

Abstract

The Whangamaire Stream (North Island, New Zealand) has high concentrations of nitrate nitrogen (NO^? ₃‐N), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), and Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) as a result of catchment land use practices. The lower reaches of the stream drain intensively farmed land and have dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of 10–50% saturation. The dominant riparian vegetation, Apium nodiflorum, provides a large organic loading by intercepting nutrients in run‐off and then decaying in the stream channel. Water quality and reaeration aspects of the stream were studied in order to explain the observed low DO levels. Measurements of the reaeration coefficient at 20°C, K₂ ²⁰, using methyl chloride (CH₃Cl) as a gas tracer, yielded values of 1.1–3.0 d^?1 for the upper part of the study reach and 15.5–16.2 d^?1 for the lower reach (overall average 12.5 ± 2.5 d^?1). These were in agreement with values inferred from single‐station diurnal curve analysis, which also showed that respiration was dominant in the lower reach where photo‐synthetic activity was inhibited by shade. The relatively large reaeration coefficients ensure that parts of the stream do not become anoxic at night time. Better riparian management and reduced nutrient inputs are likely to improve stream water quality.     

近15 a来三门湾海域氮、磷营养盐分布与富营养化状况的变化分析

以1997年8月中旬和2011年10月中旬对三门湾附近海域开展的海域水质现状调查为依据,分析了近15 a间该海域水体环境氮、磷营养盐的分布现状及变化特征。结果表明:近15 a来,三门湾海域的无机氮和活性磷酸盐含量均成倍增长,水体营养程度由轻度富营养化逐步上升为重度富营养化;从营养结构来看,活性磷酸盐仍为限制性富营养化因子;大量的海水养殖是导致该海域营养盐大幅提高的直接原因。因此,为控制三门湾的富营养化现象进一步加剧,建议适度控制海水养殖规模,调整海水养殖结构,加强对三门湾沿岸排污控制,以获得养殖经济效益和生态环境效益的协调、可持续发展。