Structure and taxonomic composition of free-living nematode and macrofaunal assemblages in a eutrophic subtropical harbour,Hong Kong

The spatial and seasonal taxonomic composition patterns of macrofauna and nematodes in a eutrophic subtropical harbour, previously suffered from sewage pollution, were studied in relation to a number of sediment parameters. In the polluted, inner-harbour area, levels of organic contents and heavy metals were high, whereas species number, abundance and diversity of nematodes and macrofauna were the lowest in comparison to the cleaner, outer-harbour area. Different taxonomic composition patterns of nematodes and macrofaunal assemblages were found between inner-harbour and outer-harbour area, which was highly correlated with sediment nutrient levels. Different responses of macrofaunal and nematode communities to sewage pollution suggested that macrofauna might be more tolerant than nematodes to eutrophic conditions due to their ability to modify the sediment. The present findings indicated the usefulness of studying both nematode and macrofaunal communities, in order to reveal different aspects of the benthic ecosystems in response to organic enrichment.     

Analysis of impact of outfalls on surrounding soil and groundwater environment

With certain outfalls in Baoding as an example and in combination with test results of soil and water samples taken from both sides of such outfalls, the organic contamination compounds influence on the surrounding soil and groundwater environment was analysed, the distribution features of the main organic contamination in soil and groundwater in different depth were discussed, and the vertical and longitudinal migration rule of all kinds of main organic contamination compounds in soil and groundwater in the sewage irrigation area was studied.     

SmartStation定位模型及精度测试

介绍一种全新的测量仪器—SmartStation。分析SmartStation定位模型的特点,研究影响精度的主要因素,由定位模型得出这种测量方式的便捷性。根据影响精度的主要因素进行了精度测试,通过测试结果得出SmartStation应用的相关结论。     

混沌特征参数对神经网络预测电离层TEC的影响分析

利用国际GNSS服务组织(IGS)提供的东经115°经线上不同纬度处一年的电离层总电子含量(TEC)时间序列数据,研究了如何进一步提高基于神经网络方法预测电离层TEC的效果。研究表明:电离层TEC的预测误差与电离层TEC时间序列的最大Lyapunov指数与该序列均值的乘积具有较强的相关性;而且与时间延迟和嵌入维数的选择是否恰当也有着密切关系。     

海水痕量元素——有机配体的配分特征与影响因素研究进展

在痕量元素的海洋生物地球化学循环过程中,有机配体直接控制痕量元素在不同形态及粒径范围内的分配,进而影响痕量元素的迁移转化过程和生物可利用性。深入研究海水中痕量元素-有机配体的配分特征及影响因素,明确有机配体分子量组分及其对痕量元素的配合作用差异,对于了解痕量元素的生物地球化学行为,评估痕量元素的生物可利用性和毒性效应均具有十分重要的意义。对海水中痕量元素-有机配体的分布规律、配分特征及盐度、pH、氧化还原条件和生物活动对配体的影响进行了系统总结。海水中的有机配体一般以低分子量部分为主体,配合能力因元素性质差异存在随分子量增加而提高或降低的不同趋势。除此之外,有机配体的结构、配合能力及分子量分布随水体各物理化学参数的变化而改变。盐度的增加会降低有机配体相邻官能团的静电排斥力从而降低配体的配合能力,还会导致高分子量金属有机配合物发生絮凝和降解而去除。pH的增加不仅可以促使有机配体离子化,还能促进部分痕量元素水解为与有机配体亲和力更高的形式,提高有机配体配合率。氧化还原环境同时影响了痕量元素的价态和有机配体的浓度,间接影响痕量元素-有机配体的配合率。浮游植物利用及微生物分解可以增加低分子量有机配体的比例,从而提高其配合能力,但当生物遭受过量金属离子的毒性胁迫时,其细胞内会释放胞内配体,将致毒元素转化为配合物并排出体外,从而增加水体中痕量元素高分子量有机配体的浓度。未来应结合有机物结构分析技术及痕量元素分离检测技术,系统研究海洋环境中不同分子量有机配体的结构及与痕量元素配合强度的相互关系,进一步揭示痕量元素的迁移转化过程与生态学意义。     

The Distribution of Trace Elements-Organic Ligands in Seawater and Factors Influencing Their Complexation

Organic metal-binding ligands represent an essential role in the bioavailability of trace elements since they govern the species and sizes of those elements in seawater. The distribution and properties of organic ligands in seawater as well as the factors influencing their complexation abilities were summarized in this paper. Most organic ligands exist in the low molecular weight fraction, and their concentration nearshore is often higher than that of open ocean while the vertical distribution varies in different areas. The complexation of trace elements and organic ligands is influenced by several factors such as molecular weight of organic ligands, salinity, pH, biological activities and redox conditions. Ligand with a lower molecular weight usually represents stronger complexation ability, whereas the opposite seems to be true sometimes due to the specific affinity between some elements and ligands. Increasing salinity lowers the electrostatic repulsion among adjacent functional groups of ligands and thus decreases their complexing rate, yet increasing pH promotes the ionization of organic ligands and results in the formation of more complexes. The utilization of phytoplankton and degradation of microorganism release more low molecular weight organic ligands while more high molecular weight ligands are released from marine organisms under heavy metal stress. Therefore, sufficient significance should be attached to characterizing the structure and molecular weight of organic ligands and exploring the interaction between trace elements and organic ligands and the influence of related marine factors on their behaviors, which will certainly help us to understand the global biogeochemical cycles and ecological significance of trace elements.     

Sedimentary Organic Carbon Mineralization and Its Contribution to the Marine Carbon Cycle in the Marginal Seas

Continental margin sediments are important ocean carbon repository, and the internal carbon cycle is mainly driven by the mineralization processes of sedimentary organic matter. Most organic carbon is transformed to Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) by mineralization processes after being delivered to continental margin sediments, and DIC from pore water diffuses into the upper water column and participates in the ocean carbon cycle. At the same time, some DIC combines ions such as Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and precipitates as authigenic carbonate minerals so that carbon is stored in the deposits. Based on the biogeochemical study of the mechanism and efficiency of organic matter burial, we discussed the interaction among sulfate reduction, methanogenesis and anaerobic oxidation of methane, and the effect of organic mineralization on the formation of authigenic carbonate. By reviewing the above-mentioned aspects, we can obtain a better understanding of the role of continental margin sediments in the global carbon cycling budgets as well as its climate and environmental effects.     

A Three-Dimensional Analysis of the Total and Effective Stresses in Submerged Backfilled Stopes

The determination of the stress state in backfilled stopes is an important step for assessing the behaviour of mine openings and for designing barricades. Most previous analyses have considered only the 2D case (plane strain condition) and neglected the effect of pore water pressure. In this paper, a three-dimensional solution is proposed for totally or partly submerged backfill. The new solution gives the normal stresses along the vertical and horizontal axes, with the effect of a surface load on the backfill. The solution is validated using laboratory experimental results taken from the literature. The good agreement obtained between the proposed analytical solution and laboratory test results indicates that this new solution provides a realistic evaluation for both the total and effective stresses in vertical backfilled stopes.     

Sulphur cycling in organic-rich marine sediments from a Scottish fjord

In this study, the biogeochemical transformations of sulphur in organic‐rich marine sediments in a Scottish fjord are investigated by a combination of pore water and sediment geochemistry with sulphide diffusive gradient thin‐film probes and sulphate isotopic data (δ³⁴S and δ¹⁸O). Particular attention is paid to sulphur cycling in the upper sediment profile where sulphate reduction occurs but free sulphide is below the detection limits of conventional pore water geochemical analysis but quantifiable by sulphide diffusive gradient thin film. In the uppermost part of the sediment core, δ¹⁸O sulphate decreased from near‐sea water values to +7‰, indicating that anoxic sulphide oxidation dominated during this interval. Sulphate δ³⁴S remained unchanged as there was no net sulphate reduction (i.e. reduction was balanced by re‐oxidation). Below 4 cm depth, there was a slight increase in sulphate δ³⁴S from 20‰ to 23‰ associated with minor accumulation of iron sulphide. The δ¹⁸O of the sulphate also increased, to around +10‰ at 10 cm depth, as a result of the isotopic exchange of sulphate–oxygen with pore water and/or sulphur disproportionation reactions mediated during sulphur cycling. These processes continued to increase the δ¹⁸O of the sulphate to 14‰ at 20 cm depth with no further change in the δ³⁴S of the sulphate. Below 20 cm depth, free sulphide is detectable in pore waters and both the δ³⁴S of the sulphate and sulphide increase with depth with an offset controlled by kinetic fractionation during bacterial sulphate reduction. The δ³⁴S of the sedimentary organic fraction shifted towards lower, more bacteriogenic, values with depth in the profile, without any increase in the size of this sulphur pool. Thus, the organic sulphur fraction was open to interaction with bacteriogenic sulphide without the occurrence of net addition. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using sulphur isotopic compositions to infer simple net addition of bacteriogenic sulphide to the organic sulphur fraction.