Organic biomarkers in the twilight zone—Time series and settling velocity sediment traps during MedFlux

The transfer of material through the twilight zone of the ocean is controlled by sinking particles that contain organic matter (OM) and mineral ballast. During the MedFlux field program in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea in 2003, sinking particulate matter was collected in time series (TS) and settling velocity (SV) traps and analyzed for amino acids, lipids, and pigments (along with ballast minerals) [Lee, C., Armstrong, R.A., Wakeham, S.G., Peterson, M.L., Miquel, J.C., Cochran, J.K., Fowler, S.W., Hirschberg, D., Beck, A. Xue, J., 2009b. Particulate matter fluxes in time series and settling velocity sediment traps in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Deep-Sea Research II, this volume [doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.12.003]]. The goal was to identify how organic chemical compositions of sinking particles varied as a function of their in-situ settling velocity. The TS record was used to define the biogeochemical character and temporal pattern in flux during the period of SV trap deployment. Temporal variations in organic and mineral compositions are consistent with particle biogeochemistry being driven by the seasonal succession of phytoplankton. Spring diatom bloom conditions led to a high flux of rapidly sinking aggregates and zooplankton fecal matter; summer oligotrophy followed and was characterized by a higher proportion of slowly sinking phytoplankton cells. Bacterial degradation is particularly important during the low-flux summer period. Settling velocity traps show that a large proportion of particulate organic matter sinks at 200–500 m d⁻¹. Organic compositions of this fast-sinking material mirrors that of fecal pellets and aggregated material that sinks as the spring bloom terminates. More-slowly sinking OM bears a stronger signature of bacterial degradation than do the faster-sinking particles. The observation that compositions of SV-sorted fractions are different implies that the particle field is compositionally heterogeneous over a range of settling velocities. Thus physical and biological exchange between fast-sinking and slow-sinking particles as they pass down the water column must be incomplete.     

Climatic and anthropogenic impacts on the decrease of sediment discharge to the Mediterranean coast from the largest river of Maghreb

The current study focuses on the issue of the decrease in sediment discharge to the Mediterranean Sea by the largest river in Algeria,the Wadi Cheliff(i.e.Cheliff River).This study clarifies the effect of climatic and anthropogenic factors on the changes in the sedimentary dynamics of the Cheliff River discharging to the sea.The data used(rainfall,water discharge,and sediment discharge)concern the Sidi Bel Attar gaging station on the Cheliff River,only 18 km from discharge to the Mediterranean Sea.A power-type statistical regression model was used to fill the 74.2% gap in Suspended Solids(SS)measurements in the establishment of a SS database for the period 1951e2012.The study results show that the transport of suspended sediment discharged to the sea is about 487 t/km^2/yr.Statistical tests of breaks highlight that rainfall decreased by 26% and that water and sediment input to the sea declined from 74%to 63% for the period of 1981e2012.The correlation analysis shows a decrease in the contribution of rainfall on sediment and water input at the outlet equal to 77.9% and 77.8%,respectively,during the period of 1980 e2012,compared to the period of 1968e1980.However,the double mass method reflects the contribution of factors other than rainfall to the decrease of sediment input to the sea.These other factors mainly include large dams,which intercepted about 71%of the total volume of sediment discharged to the sea during the period of 1968e2010.In addition the contribution of large dams to the reduction of sedimentary input to the sea is more important than that of the decrease in rainfall.The management of large dams also contributes to the increase in the sediment deficit to the sea through the prioritization of interception of sediment at the expense of releases,for socio-economic purposes,68.4%of the Cheliff River discharge is diverted for human use.This has led to an increase in the mean water bed level at bankfull downstream,where the Cheliff River gave up 51%of its width to the floodplain between 1996 and 2009.In the light of the scarcity of sediment transport data in North Africa and in many other areas,the current study provides a reference framework for other studies:providing useful information for the study of the transfer of sediment from land to sea,and the links with the socio-economic needs.     

The formation of large diameter plant fossil moulds and the Walton theory of compaction

Hollow plant organs can react in different ways to the forces exerted during compaction of the surrounding sediments. Large infilled lycophyte stems, lying flat in the sediments, flatten and expand in width. The width of the mould that is ultimately formed will therefore approach half the original circumference of the stem rather than being equal to its original diameter.     

近2Ma来东菲律宾海地球磁场相对强度变化的沉积记录

为了解东菲律宾海沉积物记录的地球磁场相对强度变化,并为研究区的地层定年提供新的手段,对东菲律宾海帕里西维拉海盆西侧F090102孔柱样沉积物进行了系统的古地磁和岩石磁学分析。根据功率谱分析,选择非磁滞剩磁作为归一化的参数,得到约2Ma以来的地球磁场相对强度变化曲线。该曲线与SINT-2000曲线可详细对比,呈比较典型的锯齿状特征,布容期内的记录与800ka以来的SINT-800曲线相符。布容/松山极性转换期呈单强度降低的特征,在极性转换期和极性漂移期,相对强度曲线表现为显著低值。     

湖泊沉积物氮磷内源负荷模拟

在对骆马湖沉积物及其间隙水物化性质、空间分布等分析基础上 ,在实验室控制的恒温静态条件下 ,模拟了软性富泥区柱状芯样在不同季节温度下的沉积物 水界面氮、磷交换过程。根据模拟不同温度下的柱状沉积物氮、磷释放速率及其代表时段下的物质释放量计算 ,以及应用孔隙水物质扩散模型进行的计算 ,全湖内源氮、磷负荷分别约为 ( 1 1 1 3.2± 71 .3)t/a和 ( 1 2 .5 0± 0 .95 )t/a,分别占骆马湖年氮、磷入湖量的 7.4%和 1 .2 %。沉积物中氮、磷含量差异大及铁含量较高可能是氮释放通量偏高和磷释放通量较小的主要因素。     

黄河三角洲埕岛近岸海域悬浮泥沙运动

根据1998年9月8日和1999年3月19日两次对埕北海域进行的10个站位的同步海流、悬浮泥沙观测资料，进行该海区的悬浮泥沙输运趋势分析，发现该海区含沙量较大。从整个海区来看，底层含沙量大于表层含沙量，该海区泥沙含量普遍表现为东南部的泥沙含量高于西北部的泥沙含量；由单宽输沙量的计算及有关资料分析可以得出，秋季泥沙运移趋势是由东南向到西北向，而春季泥沙的运移趋势是由东北向到西南向；含沙量是随流速的加大而增加，含沙量的峰值稍滞后于流速的峰值；该海区为冲蚀海区，悬浮泥沙产生的平均年7中刷量为2cm／a，在本海区的地形塑造中占次要地位。     

长兴、横沙两岛潮滩沉积物的粒度概率及其分析

通过对长兴、横沙两岛潮滩沉积物粒度概率曲线的分析，揭示了潮滩沉积物的以下特点：１．以跃移组分为主，悬移组分次之，滚动组分极少；２．随着沉积物的变细，跃移组分含量呈减少趋势，悬移组分相反；３．跃移和悬移组分具有显著的双段式特征，反映了潮流的双向搬运和沉积作用；４．跃移－悬移组分的临界粒径（ψ）与样品的平均粒径Ｍ（ψ）之间呈抛物线型正相关。     

气相色谱法分析海洋沉积物中多糖的组成

碳水化合物是海洋有机质的主要组成部分，海洋中的碳水化合物主要以聚合物的形式存在，其分子组成信息对研究它们的来源及其在生物地球化学循环中的作用具有重要意义。作者应用毛细管气相色谱法分析了海洋沉积物中多糖的组成。利用2．0mo1／L三氟乙酸，在80℃水解8h，把沉积物中的多糖水解成单糖，从而把单糖萃取到水相中。水解液在60℃旋转蒸发除去三氟乙酸，用等量的阴离子和阳离子交换树脂混合柱脱除残留离子，以Milli—Q水洗脱。洗脱液经蒸发、干燥后，用吡啶溶解，在0．2％LiClO4吡啶溶液催化下，于60℃经48h达到互变异构平衡。平衡异构体经Regisil试剂衍生化成三甲基硅醚(1MS)，用HP5890气相色谱仪进行分析。使用长30m、内径0．32mm的HP—5石英毛细管柱，配FID检测器，进样口和检测室温度保持在300℃，采用无分流进样，以N2作载气，流速为2．0ml/min，柱箱在140℃保留4min，然后以2℃／min的速度升温到220℃，保留10min。以每种单糖的相对保留时间定性；选择每种单糖中分离效果好、组成占优势的异构体峰面积作为单糖定量的依据，采用内标标准曲线法定量。应用这一方法分析了厦门港沉积物样品，确定了沉积物中7种主要中性单糖的组成。方法的样品加标准回收率为77．0％一115％，相对标准偏差为1．8％一11％；空白加标准回收率在93．8％一113％之间，相对标准偏差为0．6％一9．5％；当信噪比为3时，各单糖的检出限为0．02一0．06mg／L;内标戊五醇的全程回收率为79．8％(n＝6，RSD=5．2％)。     

天津塘沽驴驹河-独流减河潮间带沉积物特征研究

通过对研究区潮间带36个表层沉积物的定位采样,采用综合法对样品进行粒度分析。结果表明,研究区潮间带表层沉积物由-粉砂质极细砂、极细砂-粉砂-粘土、粉砂-粘土-极细砂、极细砂质粉砂、极细砂-粉砂、粉砂和极细砂组成,从岸边向潮下带方向表层沉积物由细变粗;由于修建海滨浴场,改变了岸线的轮廓使水流发生变化,从驴驹河-独流减河潮间带表层沉积物粒度由粗变细;垂向上,由于修建海防公路造成岸线后退,沉积物表现为下粗上细,这些特征与本地区的人类活动和水动力条件变化密切相关。     

Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in River Sediments of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania – Patterns,Levels, and Regional Distribution

As a first contribution to the assessment of organic microcontaminants in rivers of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, the patterns, levels, and regional distribution of chlorinated hydrocarbons (PCB, HCH, DDT, and HCB) in river sediments were investigated. The sediment sampling was carried out at selected stations in rivers of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania (Peene, Uecker, Randow, Zarow, Ziese, Warnow, Elde, and Elbe) in August/September 1996. The chlorinated hydrocarbons were determined by GC/ECD following ultrasonic extraction. Generally, the contents of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the river Warnow and rivers of West Pomerania were at a low level, up to 15 ng/g (given for TOC). In Elde sediments, three to ten times higher contents of CHC were found, due to a higher degree of industrialization in the catchment area. Much higher CHC contents up to a factor of 100 higher than in the river Warnow occurred in Elbe sediments between the towns Dömitz and Boizenburg. A comparison of the CHC contents in river sediments of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania with those in Elbe sediments reflects the difference between rivers with a large and highly industrialized catchment area and much smaller rivers, only affected by agriculture and municipal sewages. The contribution from rivers of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the riverine input of organic microcontaminants into the innercoastal waters (boddens, hafts, and sounds) and the adjacent Baltic Sea seems to be low.