Quantitative sinkhole hazard assessment. A case study from the Ebro Valley evaporite alluvial karst (NE Spain)

Quantitative sinkhole hazard assessments in karst areas allow calculation of the potential sinkhole risk and the performance of cost-benefit analyses. These estimations are of practical interest for planning, engineering, and insurance purposes. The sinkhole hazard assessments should include two components: the probability of occurrence of sinkholes (sinkholes/km² year) and the severity of the sinkholes, which mainly refers to the subsidence mechanisms (progressive passive bending or catastrophic collapse) and the size of the sinkholes at the time of formation; a critical engineering design parameter. This requires the compilation of an exhaustive database on recent sinkholes, including information on the: (1) location, (2) chronology (precise date or age range), (3) size, and (4) subsidence mechanisms and rate. This work presents a hazard assessment from an alluvial evaporite karst area (0.81 km²) located in the periphery of the city of Zaragoza (Ebro River valley, NE Spain). Five sinkholes and four locations with features attributable to karstic subsidence where identified in an initial investigation phase providing a preliminary probability of occurrence of 0.14 sinkholes/km² year (11.34% in annual probability). A trenching program conducted in a subsequent investigation phase allowed us to rule out the four probable sinkholes, reducing the probability of occurrence to 0.079 sinkholes/km² year (6.4% in annual probability). The information on the severity indicates that collapse sinkholes 10–15 m in diameter may occur in the area. A detailed study of the deposits and deformational structures exposed by trenching in one of the sinkholes allowed us to infer a modern collapse sinkhole approximately 12 m in diameter and with a vertical throw of 8 m. This collapse structure is superimposed on a subsidence sinkhole around 80 m across that records at least 1.7 m of synsedimentary subsidence. Trenching, in combination with dating techniques, is proposed as a useful methodology to elucidate the origin of depressions with uncertain diagnosis and to gather practical information with predictive utility about particular sinkholes in alluvial karst settings: precise location, subsidence mechanisms and magnitude, and timing and rate of the subsidence episodes.     

Methodology for preliminary assessment of Natech risk in urban areas

Concern for natural hazard-triggered technological disasters (Natech disasters) in densely populated and industrialized areas is growing. Residents living in urban areas subject to high natural hazard risk are often unaware of the potential for secondary disasters such as hazardous materials releases from neighboring industrial facilities, chemical storage warehouses or other establishments housing hazardous materials. Lessons from previous disasters, such as the Natech disaster during the Kocaeli earthquake in Turkey in 1999 call for the need to manage low frequency/high consequence events, particularly in today’s densely populated areas. However, there is little guidance available on how local governments and communities can assess Natech risk. To add to the problem, local governments often do not have the human or economic resources or expertise to carry out detailed risk assessments. In this article, we propose a methodology for preliminary assessment of Natech risk in urban areas. The proposed methodology is intended for use by local government officials in consultation with the public. The methodology considers possible interactions between the various systems in the urban environment: the physical infrastructure (e.g., industrial plants, lifeline systems, critical facilities), the community (e.g., population exposed), the natural environment (e.g., delicate ecosystems, river basins), and the risk and emergency management systems (e.g., structural and nonstructural measures). Factors related to vulnerability and hazard are analyzed and qualitative measures are recommended. Data from hazardous materials releases during the Kocaeli, Turkey earthquake of August 17, 1999 are used as a case study to demonstrate the applicability of the methodology. Limitations of the proposed methodology are discussed as well as future research needs.

乌鲁木齐河流域地下水水质监测网设计

文章运用地下水易污性编图及污染源分布图法进行了乌鲁木齐河流域地下水水质监测网设计。共设计了130监测孔,现有46个监测孔,另需要84个新的监测孔。按监测类型分为面源监测点22个,点源监测点87个,重点水源地与泉水监测点21个。按监测运行分长期监测点55个,流域普查监测点75个。普查监测点监测频率为1次/5年,长期监测点监测频率为1次/年。首期有针对性地在污染严重的柴窝堡新化厂排污区、乌鲁木齐河谷老排污区、米泉污灌区、米泉工业污染区、老龙河污染区取了25个污染水样测试分析,结果显示地下水已经受到严重污染。     

崎岖列岛附近海域环境质量现状与分析

根据 2 0 0 1年 2月和 7月对崎岖列岛附近海域的水质和底质表层沉积物调查结果 ,采用环境质量单项评价标准指数法 ,对该海域环境质量现状进行了评价与分析。结果表明 :(1 )该海域水质的 p H值、溶解氧和石油类等环境因子基本符合一类海水水质标准 ,化学需氧量、活性磷酸盐和无机氮浓度则超标严重 ,该海域水质已处于严重富营养化状态 (夏季比冬季富营养化程度略低 ) ;(2 )该海域底质表层沉积物中除部分站位的重金属 Cu、 Zn含量超标外 ,有机质、石油类和重金属 Pb、 Cd、 Hg的含量均未超标 ,底质环境状况尚好     

Spatial patterns and environmental risks of ringnet fishing along the Kenyan coast

Ringnet fishing began in the early 20th century and is practised worldwide, mainly to target nearshore pelagic species. The method was introduced to Kenya’s coastal waters by migrant fishers from Tanzania. However, the impacts of this fishing gear remain poorly assessed. We assessed the spatial distribution of ringnet fishing effort and its possible effects on ecosystem components, such as coral reefs, marine megafauna and marine protected areas, on the south coast of Kenya. We tracked 89 ringnet fishing trips made from December 2015 to January 2016 and used spatial multicriteria analysis to determine hotspots of possible environmental risks. The results showed that habitat type and bathymetric profile influenced the spatial distribution of ringnet fishing effort. Mixed seagrass and coral habitats had the highest concentration of the effort. Most of the habitats in the study area were moderately exposed to the impacts of the ringnet fishery. The study identifies high-risk areas that require spatial measures to minimise possible environmental risks of the gear both to habitats and to endangered sea turtles.     

厦门海域鱼体稀土元素的生态化学特征

于1995—1996年在厦门海域采集了28种鱼类样品，用ICP—MS法测定了15种稀土元素(REE)的含量，研究了鱼体稀土元素的组成和分布模式及与海水环境之间的关系。结果表明，厦门海域鱼体REE总量介于12．4—596．5ng／g，平均为(77．5l2．8)岭g。鱼体明显官集轻稀土，同时轻、重稀土之间则存在较大的分馏作用，说明轻稀土的生物学效应比重稀土更为显著。鱼类稀土元素分布模式总体上与海水REE分布模式接近，并且鱼类REE含量与近岸陆架海水REE含量之间有很好的相关性，说明海洋鱼类对稀土元素的利用遵从丰度规律。鱼类对稀土元素的富集系数在103以上。稀土元素沿厦门海域食物链的迁移传递没有表现出明显的生物放大作用。     

胶州湾东北部岸滩改造方案的讨论

本文根据胶州湾东北部岸滩目前污染严重、脏乱不堪的现状及城市总体规划的要求.提出了胶州湾东北部岸滩的改造意见.着重从海洋动力、生态、水量平衡的角度论证了改造工程的必要性和可行性。     

Genetic Diversity in Marine Molluscs: A Test of the Niche-Width Variation Hypothesis

Abstract. A test of the niche width variation hypothesis was conducted in the three Mediterranean littoral species of the family Trochidae: Monodonta turbinata, M. turbiformis and Gibbula richardi. Allozymic variation encoded by 26 gene loci was analyzed, and the levels of polymorphism (P), heterozygosity (H) and allele diversity per locus (A) were estimated and appear to support the niche-width variation hypothesis. The broad-niche species, M. turbiformis and G. richardi are more polymorphic and heterozygous than the relatively narrow-niche M. turbinata (P = 0.571; 0.731 and 0.417; H = 0.108; 0.116 and 0.078; A = 2.025; 2.489 and 1.965, respectively).     

胶州湾海域水质预测

在已建潮流模型的基础上,用ADI法建立了胶州湾扩大域变动边界的平流—扩散输运模型,以COD为指示因子,预测了胶州湾海域1995年、2000年的水质、青岛环海公路海上段、沧口区北半部污水截流、北水南调、集中排放以及胶州湾西部经济开发对海域水质的影响等。为青岛市环保部门制定环保规划提供决策依据。